Middle School Directors
While we share a lot of staff between campuses and team teach throughout the day, the following are primarily middle school directors.
Click here to read about the 6th grade center band staff.
Click here to read about the high school band staff.
Bojan Gutic
Bojan Gutic (Boy-en Goo-Tick) is in his 10th year of teaching at Argyle Middle School and his second year as the head middle school band director. His teaching responsibilities include Honor Winds, Concert Band Woodwinds, and accelerated band classes as well as assisting with the Symphonic Band, concert band brass, and Jazz Band. During the fall, Mr. Gutic also assists with the marching band at Argyle High School.
In 2021, the Argyle Middle School Symphonic Band under the direction of Mr. Gutic was the first non-varsity band in the history of the ATSSB Outstanding Performance Series contest to have a recording selected as a winner and published. They were also a winner of the Citation of Excellence the same year, marking them as one of the top non-varsity bands in the state.
Bands under the direction of Mr. Gutic have consistently received UIL Sweepstakes Awards and advanced to the area and state levels of the ATSSB Outstanding Performance Series competition. The Argyle Middle School Symphonic Band has been named both a citation winner and commended winner by the Foundation for Music Education under Mr. Gutic’s direction and under Mr. Gutic's direction, the Argyle Middle School Honor Winds won several competitions in the DFW area.
Mr. Gutic earned his Master’s Degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, studying with Dr. Sarah Allen, Frank Troyka, and Lynne Jackson. Prior to that, he earned a Bachelor’s degree of Music Education from Texas Christian University, where he graduated Cum Laude while studying clarinet with Gary Whitman. While at TCU, Mr. Gutic performed in the TCU Wind Symphony under the direction of Bobby Francis, the TCU Symphonic Band and Marching band under the direction of Brian Youngblood, and the TCU Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble under the direction of Richard Murrow.
Mr. Gutic's professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Kappa Kappa Psi, and the International Clarinet Association. In his free time, Mr. Gutic enjoys playing video games and hanging out with his friends. Mr. Gutic lives in Northlake with his puppy, Boba Fett.
Alyssa Kunkel
Alyssa Kunkel is in her first year in Argyle ISD as the Assistant Band Director at Argyle Middle School and in her third year of teaching. Ms. Kunkel’s teaching responsibilities will include the Symphonic Band, Concert Band Brass, and our first ever AMS Jazz Band! Ms. Kunkel will also assist with Honor Winds and Concert Band Woodwinds.
Ms. Kunkel started her band journey in North Richland Hills, Texas, at Richland High School. There, she studied under Jason Bird, Mike Pickrell, and Scott Dupre. Ms. Kunkel holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Stephen F. Austin State University (“Axe’ Em Jacks”), where she studied and played trumpet under Dr. David Campo, Dr. Tamey Angelly, Dr. Chris Kaatz, and Dr. Jake Walburn.
Ms. Kunkel has previously worked in Garland ISD and Arlington ISD at the high school level. Her professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association and Tau Beta Sigma. She currently lives in Watauga with her boyfriend, Matt, and her two cats Milo and Princess Mia.
Email Ms. Kunkel
Robert houpe
Mr. Houpe will be serving as the assistant percussion coordinator for Argyle ISD. Mr. Houpe is in his 13th year of teaching and his 3rd year as the Assistant Percussion Director for Argyle ISD where he works with all percussion students in the Argyle Band Program grades 6-12. He has previously been percussion director at Wylie East High School, and prior to that was a full-time percussion specialist teacher in Frisco ISD focusing on 6th-8th grade percussion at Fowler and Scoggins middle schools. Mr. Houpe has been a private lesson teacher for Argyle ISD, Coppell ISD, Frisco ISD, and Lewisville ISD.
Mr. Houpe received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from UNT, graduating as a distinguished honors scholar, and holds a Master’s Degree in Percussion Performance from Northern Illinois University. He has studied a wide variety of percussion instruments and styles with teachers including Christopher Deane, Paul Rennick, Dr. Robert Schietroma, Robert Chappell, and Dr. Greg Beyer. He has experience in all areas of percussion performance and teaching.
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Mr. Houpe was a member of the Champion UNT Indoor Drumline in 2002 and 2005. He was a member of the Phantom Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps in 2003 and 2004. Mr. Houpe was the Second Place Winner in the 2006 PAS Composition Contest and a featured performer in “John Cage’s Music Circus 2007” at the Chicago Cultural Center. In 2008 Mr. Houpe received the Thomas Siwe PASIC Scholarship and the Howard Johnston Award for Graduate Student Travel, a grant enabling him to travel to San Jose, Costa Rica to perform with NIU and present a master class at the International Festival of Percussion Ensembles.
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In 2013 Mr. Houpe led the percussion section of the Fowler Symphony Honor Orchestra performing at TMEA. While at Wylie East High School, Mr. Houpe prepared students for multiple national festival performances including National Concert Band Festival Music for All Indianapolis and Western International Band Clinic in Seattle. In 2019, the Wylie East Band was a UIL State Finals Marching Band competitor.
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Mr. Houpe lives in the Dallas area with his wife Katie and two awesome powerful daughters, Margaret and Maeve.
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Erica King
Erica King has been teaching and performing in the Color Guard world for 10 years. She grew up in Frisco, Texas and found her passion for the activity once she began to attend Frisco High School. After graduating in 2013, Ms. King attended the University of North Texas where she graduated with a Bachelor's in Psychology. She will also be going back for her second degree in rehabilitative studies this Spring! While attending school, she began her teaching career.
She became a technician for multiple groups in the area, with her most recent being Southlake Carroll High School and Coppell High School. She was director of the McKinney North High School Color Guard from 2019 - 2022, where she was able to lead them to an undefeated 2022 season within the local NCTA circuit!
Ms. King started her professional performance career with CGT in 2015. She performed at several WGI regionals with the organization and was a two-time WGI World Championship finalist. Her last year with CGT was 2017 where she was a captain. After her time there, she stepped onto the World Class floor with Black Gold Winterguard and was a two time WGI World Championship finalist as well. She spun for the organization in 2018 and 2020. She also had the pleasure of being on staff for Black Gold in 2019.
Ms. King is so excited to start her journey with the Argyle Color Guard and is looking forward to an amazing year!
