EPHS Band Director

Ricky Vilardell is Band Director at El Paso High School where he directs the Tiger Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and Jazz Band. Mr. Vilardell previously worked as an Assistant Band Director at Bel Air High School, Ysleta High School, and Ysleta Middle School. Mr. Vilardell is an active member of the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), where he serves on the All-State Band and Jazz Ensemble Audition Panels.

Mr. Vilardell 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 received a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Texas at El Paso, a Master of Music degree from New Mexico State University, and a Specialist Certificate in Medieval Music Research and Performance from the University of Lleida (Catalonia, Spain). He is currently researching the use of woodwind instruments during the 13th through 15th centuries for a PhD in musicology.

Mr. Vilardell has performed on saxophone with The El Paso Wind Symphony and with various jazz groups around El Paso, including the Eklectic Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Unlimited Big Band, Jazz Q, and others. Currently, he also performs on bagpipes, recorders, and early double reeds with two groups that specialize in the performance of music from the Middle Ages and Renaissance: The Fellowship Medieval Band and Sprezzatura Early Music Ensemble.