Band Directors and Staff

Ricky Vilardell (Mr. V)

Mr. Vilardell is the band director at El Paso High School where he directs the Tiger Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and oversees woodwinds. He previously taught at Bel Air High School, Ysleta High School, Ysleta Middle School, Ranchland Hills Middle School, as well as at Loma Terrace, Capistrano, and Ysleta Elementary Schools.

Bands under Mr. V's direction at both the high school and middle school levels have been awarded UIL "Sweepstakes" awards, including most recently El Paso High in 2024.

Mr. V is an active member of the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), where he serves on the All-State Band Audition Panel and has been featured as a presenter and performer at the annual TMEA Convention. He also serves as Vice President of the Paso Del Norte Chapter of The American Orff-Schulwerk Association (AOSA), which provides professional development opportunities for music teachers across far west Texas and southern New Mexico. Additionally, he has been a guest lecturer at James Madison University and the University of Texas at El Paso.

Mr. V was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. He graduated from Riverside High School where he was a TMEA All-State alto saxophonist and served as a drum major. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Texas at El Paso, a Master of Music degree from New Mexico State University, a Specialist Certificate in Medieval Music Research and Performance from the University of Lleida (Catalonia, Spain), and Orff-Schulwerk Certification from the Los Angeles County Orff Course. He studied saxophone, oboe and clarinet with Dr. Donald Wilkinson while at UTEP and has studied medieval/renaissance woodwind instruments with Drs. Adam and Rotem Gilbert of the University of Southern California. 

Mr. V has performed with The El Paso Wind Symphony and with various jazz groups around El Paso. He also plays bagpipes, recorders/flutes, and double reeds in The Saffron Conspiracy, a group which specializes in music from the Middle Ages and early renaissance that has performed at festivals in both Europe and United States.

Noah Rodriguez (Mr. R)

Mr. Rodriguez serves as the assistant band director at both El Paso High School and Wiggs Middle School. His responsibilities at El Paso High include assisting in directing the Tiger Marching Band, conducting the Symphonic Band, overseeing brass, and co-directing the Jazz Ensemble. At Wiggs Middle he directs the Symphonic Band and teaches beginning brass classes. 

Mr. R is a graduate of Chapin High School and he earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Texas at El Paso. While at UTEP, he studied French horn with Richard Lambrecht and performed in various ensembles including the Marching Miners, Wind Symphony, and Horn Choir. 

Isela Granados (Ms. G)

Ms. Granados serves as the director for the EPHS Tigerettes, Tecuani Folklorico, and Prestige Colorguard. Her dance experience spans various styles, including Folklorico, Flamenco, ballet, jazz, contemporary, modern, hip-hop, ballroom, martial arts, and colorguard. 

Ms. Granados graduated from Canutillo High School where she played clarinet in the Marching Band and Jazz Band. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in dance education from New Mexico State University and a Master of Education degree in administration from Grand Canyon University. 

Andrea Aguirre (Ms. Aguirre)

Ms. Aguirre teaches music to students in grades PK through 5 at Aoy and Douglass Elementary Schools in the south side of El Paso. She is an active member of the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), where she serves as Elementary Music Division Chair for Region 22 (El Paso/far west Texas) and has been a research presenter at the annual TMEA Convention. She also serves as Secretary of the Paso del Norte Chapter of the American Orff Schulwerk Association (AOSA), which provides professional development opportunities to music teachers in far west Texas and southern New Mexico. 

Ms. Aguirre earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Texas at El Paso, a Master of Music Education degree from Texas Tech University, and Orff-Schulwerk Certification from the Los Angeles County Orff Course. 

During her schooling, Ms. Aguirre performed on both clarinet and bass clarinet and served as a section leader and drum major. She currently plays drums, bagpipes and recorders with The Saffron Conspiracy, a group which specializes in music from the Middle Ages and early renaissance that has performed at festivals in both Europe and United States.

Humberto Carrillo (Mr. C)

Mexican American flutist Humberto Carrillo (He/Him) has performed as a regular guest with the El Paso Symphony Orchestra, Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra, and Roswell Symphony Orchestra since 2022 on both flute and piccolo. He has been under the baton of conductors such as John Bourgeois, Don Schofield, and Lowell Graham. Also having shared the stage and recorded with world-renowned musicians such as Alan Baer and Peter Steiner. 

Mr. C earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Texas at El Paso. Winner of the The Presser Undergraduate Scholar Award, Mr. C has taken part in the UTEP Wind Symphony and Symphony Orchestra as the principal chair. He has been mentored by the likes of Barbara Lambrecht, Marie Tachouet, and Lisa Garner.

Jose-Angel Rivas (Mr. R)

Jose-Angel Rivas is an El Paso, Texas native musician. Having graduated from Americas High School, he is pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Texas at El Paso. Mr. Rivas plays with the UTEP Wind Symphony, Percussion Ensemble, Steel Pan Ensemble, Jazz Bands, and is also serving as percussion section leader for the UTEP Marching Miners. 

His experience in the marching arts also consists of being a member of Sun City Independent, Genesis Drum and Bugle Corps, and Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps.

 Most recently, Mr. Rivas was a percussionist for the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps, who won the 2025 DCI World Championships and the Sanford Award for Best Percussion.

Mickey Valdez (Ms. Valdez)

Ms. Valdez most recently taught music at Moreno Elementary School, not too far from El Paso High.  

She earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Texas at El Paso, and while at UTEP performed with the Percussion Ensemble, Steel Pan Ensemble, and Marching Miners. 

Ms. Valdez continues to perform in a local punk band and teach private percussion/drum set lessons to students around El Paso.