Band Directors
Committed to Education
Meet The Directors
Christopher Loyd
Director of Bands
A veteran with 12 years of music education experience, Christopher Loyd comes to Rockwall-Heath High School from Garland ISD where he has served as the Director of Bands at Lakeview Centennial High School for 4 years.
A native of Little Rock Arkansas, Mr. Loyd graduated from Benton High School in 2000 where he was a two-time All-State musician. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, AR, graduating Magna Cum Laude in the spring of 2005. After his undergraduate studies, Mr. Loyd continued his education at the prestigious Jacob’s School of Music at Indiana University, completing his Master of Music Degree in 2007. Mr. Loyd’s primary instrument is trombone, and he has had the privilege of studying and performing with some of the finest musicians in North America.
Prior to his appointment as Director of Bands at Lakeview Centennial, he served as assistant Director for 2 years. He also served as Director of Bands at O’Banion Middle School for 4 years, and assistant Band Director at Pewitt CISD in Omaha, TX for 2 years.
Mr. Loyd and his wife, Rebecca, just celebrated their 15th anniversary. Mrs. Loyd teaches elementary music at Galloway Elementary in Mesquite ISD. They have a 12 year old son, Jacob, who will be in 7th grade this year; twin daughters, Emma and Natalie, who were born in April 2020; and a 1 year old White German Shepherd Dog named Remy.
Mr. Loyd is very excited to be joining the Rockwall-Heath community, and is honored to serve as the Director of Bands for the Mighty Hawk Band!
Kenneth "Rod" Kosterman
Director of Percussion
Kenneth Kosterman, also known as Rod, is from Paris, Texas. His family moved to Rockwall, where Rod grew up discovering his passion for music, specifically percussion. After graduating from Rockwall High School, he studied Music Performance at UNT, where he received his Bachelor of Music Performance degree. Afterward, Rod moved to Indiana, where he received his Master's degree in Music Performance from Indiana University. He joined the Rockwall-Heath High School Music Education program in 2016 as the Director of Percussion.
Mr. Kosterman enjoys composing music for marching show programs and concerts. "I absolutely love sharing music performance and composition opportunities with people!" Teaching at Rockwall-Heath makes him feel enthusiastic about sharing his passion for music. "We have the most amazing staff, students, and community for band in the entire world!! I love it here!"
Mr. Kosterman’s parents have been a part of the Rockwall school district for many years. "My dad, Chris, is the Fine Arts Director, and my mother, Colleen, was a long time RISD employee, serving the district for decades. She recently retired and is already back to work, helping students with math. My brother, James, is a computer software designer and has my two favorite puppies in the world, Bella and Trouble."
When Mr. Kosterman isn't teaching or composing music, he is watching or reading a Sci-Fi or thriller movie or book. Some of his favorites are Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and anything by Stephen King. His absolute most favorite thing in the world is his new kitten, "Spooky the cat."
Band & Orchestra
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2001-2006, Rockwall High School Orange Wave Band, Rockwall, TX (snare drum)
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2006, University of North Texas Green Brigade, Denton, TX (vibraphone)
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2008, UNT Drumline (lead pan)
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2005-2008, Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps, Milwaukee, WI (snare drum)
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2013, Canton Symphony Orchestra, Canton, OH (percussion)
Accolades
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(2008) Percussive Society International Convention (PASIC) Marching Festival winners & Best Front Ensemble with the UNT Drumline
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(2009) UNT Concerto Competition Winner
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Performer with the UNT Wind Symphony at the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE) under the direction of Eugene Corporon
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(2010) graduated Summa Cum Laude
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Awarded UNT's Outstanding Undergraduate in Percussion
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Indiana University Artistic Excellence Award
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(2011) IU Percussion Graduate Assistant
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3rd prize winner in the 2011 PAS International Composition Contest for in nebulous suspension held (currently published by Keyboard Percussion Publications)
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(2013) Song for Monica, vibraphone solo, published by Tapspace, which is now on the Texas UIL Prescribed Music List
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(2016) Winter Guard International Percussion Independent Open Class Champions with Vigilantes Indoor Percussion (ViP), in Dayton, OH
Emily Keliher
Assistant Band Director
Emily Keliher is from Dallas, Texas, where she discovered her passion to perform as a flutist and teach music education. She received her Bachelor of Instrumental Music Education from the University of Oklahoma. She joined the Rockwall-Heath High School music education program as the Assistant Band Director and teaches the Symphonic Band and Flute Choir.
Ms. Keliher decided to become a teacher after she was allowed to shadow her high school band director from J.J. Pearce for two weeks before graduating. “I had an amazing high school experience shadowing my high school band director. It made me decide that was the career for me!” Ms. Keliher loves everything about teaching she says, “The kids are so sweet and positive, the other staff members are the best team I’ve ever worked with, and the facilities are just amazing.”
Outside of teaching, Ms. Keliher is a yogi and an amateur Ukelele player. She’s also a member of the Highland Park UMC Church Choir. When she’s home, she loves to cook, read, watch Netflix, and post about her cat, “He has his own Instagram that the kids follow. I have the best cat in the world, Milo!"
Band & Orchestra:
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Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band Norman, Oklahoma, Intercollegiate Band of Oklahoma in 2011
Accolades:
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Principal Flute of the OU Wind Symphony 2010 and 2011 during their performance at Oklahoma Music Educators Association,
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OU Flute Studio Member in 2011
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Kappa Kappa Psi Executive Committee
Ethan J. Streeter
Assistant Band Director
Ethan J. Streeter is from Wichita, Kansas, where he first learned to play the trumpet. He received his Bachelors in Music Education and a Master’s degree in Music from TCU. He joined the Rockwall-Heath High School Music Education Program in 2018 as the Assistant Director of Bands and teaches the Concert band and Jazz Ensemble 1.
Mr. Streeter draws inspiration to teach by seeing students grow and develop as musicians. He said, “I take great joy in seeing students that could not do something at the beginning of the year and realize that they can play their instrument with practice.” His first joyful experience of teaching was during his undergraduate studies while teaching private lessons. “I discovered that teaching was just a way of guiding and developing students’ skills to be better musicians.” Mr. Streeter tells students every day, “It doesn’t feel like work when I get to come to the high school and do band all day. The students enjoy learning and playing their instruments and discovering new musical works that they never knew. Being a part of the student’s discovery of music makes teaching fun.”
Mr. Streeter’s family lives in the Rockwall area. “My parents have been band parents from 2003 till my youngest brother graduated in 2014, and now they are band director parents. They get a kick out of coming to marching competitions now, and people ask them which one their kid is, and they say the band director down on the field.” His brothers live in the Rockwall/Rowlett area, where one is an electrician, and the other works for Rockwall EMS as a paramedic.
Outside of teaching, Mr. Streeter enjoys restoring his 1973 Volkswagen Beatle and takes it to Volkswagen shows. He also likes building with wood and taking on new projects. He says, “Like music, there is nothing hard to do just unfamiliar, and the hardest part is getting started.”