Ricky Pringle, Director
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 is further involved in the community as the director of the Symphony Orchestra for Austin Youth Orchestra and has been invited to conduct several Region Orchestras in Texas. He was featured in the major strings periodical, Strad Magazine.
Email: ricky.pringle@austinisd.org
Phone: 512.414.7565
Erika Elder, Associate Director
Erika Elder started her music journey at the age of four in Austin, Texas. She began learning violin through the Suzuki Method with Dr. Laurie Scott and spent her younger years studying violin privately with Shana Guidi at the Monarch Suzuki Academy and performing with the Austin Youth Orchestra. Ms. Elder grew up as a student in the Austin Independent School District where she attended Lamar Middle School and the McCallum Fine Arts Academy. At McCallum High, she was a member of the orchestras under the direction of Ricky Pringle and Georgeann Shockley until she graduated in 2014.
Ms. Elder attended Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Music Education in May 2019. At SFA, she studied violin with Dr. Jennifer Dalmas and performed as a section violinist, principal second violin, and principal viola with the Orchestra of the Pines under the direction of Dr. Gene Moon and Dr. Pierre-Alain Chevalier.
During her time in East Texas, Ms. Elder also performed with the Longview Symphony and various other professional ensembles in the area. She also dedicated her time to teaching beginner orchestra students in the Central Heights Independent School District, rehearsing and directing the Piney Woods Youth Orchestra, and coaching sectionals for the East Texas Youth Orchestra.
For the final semester of her undergrad, Ms. Elder decided to return to Austin to complete her student teaching requirement. She interned at LBJ High School and Kealing Middle School during the Spring of 2019. Shortly after graduating from SFA, Ms. Elder accepted the Assistant Orchestra Director position at McCallum High School.
Email: erika.elder@austinisd.org
Phone: 512.414.7565