John Brennan
Director of Bands
Email: John.brennan@pisd.edu

John Brennan is currently the Director of Bands at Plano East Senior High and serves as the cluster leader for the East Cluster Band Program.  Prior to his appointment as Director of Bands, he served as an Associate Director for 18 years.  Mr. Brennan started his career in Plano I.S.D. serving as the Percussion Specialist for the East Cluster from 1999 to 2002.

  Bands under his direction have been consistent winners of the University Interscholastic League Sweepstakes Award for Superior Ratings in Concert Performance and Sight Reading and named “Best In Class” at nationally adjudicated festivals in Orlando, Florida, Breckenridge, Colorado, San Antonio and Corpus Christi, Texas.  In 2006, the Plano East Percussion Ensemble under Mr. Brennan’s direction was one of three high school ensembles selected to perform at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Austin, Texas.   Mr. Brennan was a member of the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps from Rosemont, Illinois where he marched in the bass drum and tenor lines from 1992 to 1995 and afterwards, spent eleven years on the Cavalier’s percussion staff as an instructor. 

A published author, he has written several articles for Percussive Notes magazine on marching percussion.  Mr. Brennan is an artist/endorser for the Yamaha Corporation of America, Remo USA, Avedis Zildjian Company and Innovative Percussion.  John has studied drumset with some of the greatest drummers of all time, including Stockton Helbing, Ignacia Berroa, John Riley, Joe Morello, Antonio Sanchez, Keith Carlock, and Dave Weckl.  He holds the Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana and a Masters Degree in Music Performance from Texas A&M University - Commerce.

Mr. Brennan has presented two clinics at the Texas Bandmaster’s Association Annual Convention/Clinic in San Antonio, Texas.  “Effective Use of Electronics in the Front Ensemble” filled a 1000 seat ballroom at the 2012 convention with the Plano East Marching Percussion Section as the demonstration group.  2013’s follow-up clinic of “Let’s Take a Look Under the Hood” was presented in front of a very large audience as well. He is an active clinician, adjudicator, and performer throughout the United States and holds professional memberships in the Texas Music Educators Association, Percussive Arts Society, Phi Mu Alpha and was just recently inducted into Phi Beta Mu, International Bandmasters’ Fraternity.  Mr. Brennan is husband to Mrs. Carrie Brennan and is a proud father to Cohen Elias Brennan!

Ryan Albert
Associate Director of Bands
Email: ryan.albert@pisd.edu

Ryan Albert is in his third year as an Associate Director of Bands at Plano East Senior High. Prior to Plano East, Mr. Albert began his career at two of Plano East’s feeder schools: McMillen High School and Murphy Middle School, where he taught beginners and performing ensembles for four years. Bands under Mr. Albert’s direction are regular participants in UIL Marching, and Concert & Sight Reading events, and consistently earn excellent and superior ratings at these events. 

Mr. Albert is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Band Masters Association, and Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Fraternity. He graduated with honors from the University of Houston in 2014 with a Bachelor of Music Education degree, and from Southern Methodist University in 2020 with a Master of Music degree.

Ryan enjoys playing his trumpet, the piano, and spending time outdoors as an avid hiker and camper. He loves college football, and all of the Dallas sports teams!

Megan Pickle
Associate Director of Bands

Email: megan.pickle@pisd.edu