THCBC Faculty Artists
Ricky Pringle
Began playing the double bass at age 14 as a product of the Prince William County Public Schools in Northern Virginia. Mr. Pringle began his teaching career in the Houston, Texas area at York Junior High School in the Conroe Independent School District. Mr. Pringle relocated to Austin, Texas in 2001, where he is currently the orchestra director at McCallum High School.
Under Mr. Pringle's direction, the McCallum Orchestra has consistently earned University Interscholastic Sweepstakes (top rating) awards. The McCallum High School Orchestra has performed several times in New York's Carnegie Hall. The McCallum Orchestra has also grown from 40 members to over 200 members. Mr. Pringle maintains a private studio of double bass students and continues to perform as a double bassist throughout Central Texas with many groups including the Temple Symphony, the Round Rock Symphony Orchestra and the Symphony of the Hills. He has also been the guest clinician/conductor for several All Region honor Orchestras through out the state of Texas and was featured in the major strings periodical, Strad Magazine.
Dr. Jessica Valls
A versatile performer of many genres, double bassist Dr. Jessica Gilliam-Valls can be heard playing all over Central Texas and throughout the United States in orchestral settings, chamber music groups, tango bands, choral ensembles, recording sessions, and in unique solo venues.
A faculty member at Southwestern University, Huston Tillotson University and most recently, the Austin Community College, she is the founder and director of The Austin Bass Workshop, now in it’s fifth year. Her formal studies include Juilliard, Oberlin, The Manhattan School of Music, and the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Doctorate in 2010.
George A. Fahlund
George Fahlund is the current professor of double bass at the University of the Incarnate Word. He is an alumnus of The University of Texas at Austin, where he studied lower strings and string pedagogy with Dr. David Neubert and Mrs. Phyllis Young. Professor Fahlund is the director of the Texas Hill Country Bass Collective. He is an active musician, performing with the San Antonio Philharmonic, SA Harmonie, The Dallas Opera, the Mid-Texas Symphony, the Central Texas Philharmonic, and many other ensembles across Texas.
In addition to his performance career, Professor Fahlund has over thirty years of experience as a music educator. He has worked with numerous young musicians in primary and secondary schools and at the collegiate and semi-professional levels. His students consistently received top chairs and superior ratings at TMEA and UIL-sanctioned events. He has trained nearly seventy young bassists to become TMEA All-State performers, with twenty achieving the first chair/principal position in their ensembles.
Professor Fahlund has also been a featured lecturer at the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Orchestra Directors Association, and International Society of Bassists conventions. He is a proud member of several organizations, including the International Society of Bassists, the American String Teachers Association, the Texas Music Educators Association, and the American Federation of Musicians, Local 23.
In addition to his performance career, Professor Fahlund has over thirty years of experience as a music educator. He has worked with numerous young musicians in primary and secondary schools and at the collegiate and semi-professional levels. His students consistently received top chairs and superior ratings at TMEA and UIL-sanctioned events. He has trained nearly seventy young bassists to become TMEA All-State performers, with twenty achieving the first chair/principal position in their ensembles.
Professor Fahlund has also been a featured lecturer at the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Orchestra Directors Association, and International Society of Bassists conventions. He is a proud member of several organizations, including the International Society of Bassists, the American String Teachers Association, the Texas Music Educators Association, and the American Federation of Musicians, Local 23.
Anna Macias
Served as the Director of Orchestras at Lake Travis High School in the Lake Travis ISD since 1996 and has served as a conductor with the Austin Youth Orchestras since 2003. She is currently conducting the Philharmonic with AYO. Ms. Macias has served as Region 26 Division Chair and organizer for the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) High School Region Orchestra. Since 2002, she has served as a faculty member of the Texas State University Strings Camp in San Marcos, Texas.
A graduate of Southwest Texas State University with a degree in Music Education, she has studied Double Bass with Yuan Lu, David Neubert, and Howard Hudiburg. Ms. Macias has participated in master classes with Gary Karr and attended the Northwestern Bass Camp, hosted by Jeff Bradetich. She has performed with the Balcones Orchestra, Mid-Texas Symphony, Abilene Philharmonic, Brazos Valley Symphony and the Temple Symphony Orchestra. She enjoys playing the double bass in musical productions and has performed in several popular shows around Austin and is a member of the orchestra for the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Austin summer musical productions.
Ms. Macias is an active freelance bassist who has been a member of two Salsa bands and a Western Swing band. In 1997, she attended the Texas Music Camp, hosted by Johnny Gimble, and fell in love with Texas old time fiddling and Western Swing music. In 2000, Ms. Macias formed the Lake Travis Fiddlers, a group of talented middle school and high school students who perform old time fiddle tunes and Western Swing music at various functions. In 2015, she and the LT Fiddlers were invited to present a clinic “Outside the Concert Hall: Unique Performance Opportunities at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, Illinois.
Ms. Macias is affiliated with TMEA, Texas Orchestra Directors Association (TODA), Texas Music Adjudicators Association (TMAA), and Mu Omicron. In addition to her work with public schools, Ms. Macias maintains a private double bass studio.
Josue Martinez
Is the Director of Orchestral Activities at Westlake High School. Under his guidance, the orchestras have consistently earned sweepstakes at UIL Full and String Orchestra Concert and Sight-Reading. The Symphony Orchestra continues to produce its annual production of The Nutcracker Spectacular, while the Philharmonic Orchestra started its newest tradition of performing Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, and the collaborative musicals with Westlake Theater have been nominated for Best Orchestra by the Heller Awards for Young Artists for You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown (2024) and Tuck Everlasting (2025). Individually, students have received placement in TMEA All-Region, TMEA All-State Orchestras, and earned superior rankings at UIL Solo and Ensemble, advancing to the Texas State Solo and Ensemble competition. Most recently, the Westlake Orchestra received an invitation to perform at the American String Teachers Association National Orchestra Festival. Martinez graduated from Texas State University with a Bachelor of Music Education, String Emphasis, and a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting. A frequent clinician, adjudicator, and guest conductor throughout Texas, Martinez is an active member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Orchestra Directors Association, American String Teachers Association, International Society of Bassists, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity. Martinez serves as Region 32 Orchestra Chair and enjoys conducting the Philharmonic Orchestra for the Austin Youth Orchestra. Martinez has been honored multiple times with the Golden Apple Award at Westlake High School, an award presented by students to teachers who have had a meaningful impact on their lives. Outside of teaching and performing, he enjoys spending time at home with his spouse, Alex Caplis-Tuttle, and their two terriers, Artemis and Buster.
Ray Fisher
Born in Gladewater, Texas and grew up in Baytown, Texas is a bassists of many talents. Ray received his B.A. in Mathematics in 1972 and his J.D. in 1977 from the University of Texas at Austin, and after 40 years has recently retired from his law practice.
Ray has studied double bass with such notable bass teachers as Keith Robinson, Stuart Sankey, Steven Zlomke, and David Neubert.
He performs in many musical genres including: symphonic, opera, ballet, chamber, musical theatre, jazz, bluegrass, klezmer, and country/Americana. He is a member of the Four Fights Per Pint bluegrass band, the Yiddish Cowboys and Los Klezmeros klezmer bands, and A Fifth of a Fifth jazz band.
He is principal bass and personnel manager of the Mid-Texas Symphony, and he performs regularly with other orchestras throughout central and south Texas.
He teaches double bass and electric bass guitar in his home studio and in schools.
Ray has studied double bass with such notable bass teachers as Keith Robinson, Stuart Sankey, Steven Zlomke, and David Neubert.
He performs in many musical genres including: symphonic, opera, ballet, chamber, musical theatre, jazz, bluegrass, klezmer, and country/Americana. He is a member of the Four Fights Per Pint bluegrass band, the Yiddish Cowboys and Los Klezmeros klezmer bands, and A Fifth of a Fifth jazz band.
He is principal bass and personnel manager of the Mid-Texas Symphony, and he performs regularly with other orchestras throughout central and south Texas.
He teaches double bass and electric bass guitar in his home studio and in schools.
