ARTISTIC DIRECTOR - SYMPHONIC BAND

Nick Nunley is from the Dallas, Texas, area and is the Director of Bands at Walnut Grove Middle School in Midlothian, Texas. He is the current Artistic Director of the Oak Lawn Band and is excited to lead for the 25/26 season. Nick began conducting with the Oak Lawn Band in 2021 as Assistant Director under then-Artistic Director Marc Dunbar. Nick also served as the Artistic Director of the Oak Lawn Marching Band; under his direction, the band was awarded Best Performance in the Dallas Pride Parade three years in a row. He has been selected as a guest Artistic Director for multiple Pride Band Alliance conferences, where he conducted for a symphonic band and a pep band.

Nick attended The University of Texas at Austin and received his degree in Music Studies from the Butler School of Music in 2019. He was a Horn player in the UT Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Wind Symphony, and Symphony Band, and he played Mellophone in the Longhorn Band and Longhorn Pep Band. 

As Director of Bands at Walnut Grove Middle School, Nick has cultivated a music program that enriches the lives of students in the Midlothian area. His bands have consistently received Superior ratings at contests and festivals, and 250 students participate in his band program annually. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies, running, and traveling the world.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR - MARCHING BAND

Patrick comes to the band with 20 years of Junior High, and High School head band director experience, as well as 5 years of directing a university Basketball pep band. He was also the assistant director of a community orchestra and head director of a community band for 2 years.  

Patrick is the father of 1 daughter kaitlyn who is currently at UNT studying multi media reporting, and will be joining the band! as well as he is married to The Dr Mary Golleher.

JAZZ DIRECTOR

Max Davis is a DFW native and a graduate of Baylor University. While pursuing his Bachelor of Music Education degree, he participated in Jazz Ensemble, several jazz combos, Wind Ensemble, the Golden Wave Band, and more. After graduation in 2024, he took a position as the Assistant Band Director at Walnut Grove Middle School in Midlothian, TX. His band has received superior ratings at both UIL and extracurricular contests. Max currently lives in Dallas proper, and is excited to begin working with the Oak Lawn Jazz Band for his first year with the group!

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR - CHAMBER ENSEMBLES

Jonathen Griffin is beginning his 3rd year of performing with the Oak Lawn Band and is always looking for new opportunities to bring the organization’s art to the surrounding community.  A frequent performer with the Symphonic Band, Pep Band, Clarinet Choir, Saxophone Choir, and Jazz Band, he enjoys getting to know others through musical performance and collaboration.  He is currently an Associate Band Director in the DFW area, and previously graduated from East Texas A&M University with a degree in Music Education with a concentration in Wind Band Conducting.  While there, he was given many opportunities to participate in premiere works from clarinet choir repertoire to larger wind band works, from composers such as James Stephenson, Julie Giroux, and Kevin Charoensri.

Prior to his attendance of graduate school, Jonathen worked as an Assistant Band Director in Brownsville, Tx, after graduating from the University of North Texas in 2017.  While at the University of North Texas, Jonathen Griffin participated in the Green Brigade Marching band as a marching member and Drum Major, the Concert Band and the Symphonic Band, and various student-organized ensembles such as the Phi Mu Alpha Clarinet Choir, Jazz Band, and Men’s Chorus.  Jonathen’s mentors include Phillip Clements, Allan Goodwin, Dr. Mary Druhan, Dr. Nicholas Enrico Williams, and Dennis Fisher.

In his free time Jonathen enjoys playing video games with friends, running to stay in shape, experimenting in amateur photography, and losing spectacularly in trivia.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR - MARCHING BAND

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR - MARCHING BAND

Hayley Kalen is originally from Powder Springs, GA and has lived in the Dallas area for 13 years. She will be heading into her third year with the Oak Lawn Band as a member of the Drumline and her first as the Assistant Marching Director and Equipment Manager. Hayley is a proud member of the "Cymbals of Gay Liberation", more widely known as the cymbal section.

Hayley attended the University of Texas at Arlington and graduated in 2022 with a degree in Music Composition. Throughout her tenure in the Maverick Marching Band, she served as section leader, drum major, and undergraduate staff. She was also a member of MavBrass, the basketball pep band for UTA. Hayley is an alumnus of Tau Beta Sigma, where she served as her chapter's Treasurer and Vice President of Service.

While Hayley's first love will always be the flute, she was an inaugural member of her high school's indoor percussion program where she learned to march cymbals and has not put them down since. Her love for the marching arts has led her to compete in all three WGI disciplines: color guard, percussion, and winds. In her free time, she loves finding new places to eat, please email equipment@oaklawnband.org for equipment needs or if you have any great restaurant recommendations in DFW!