Mark Goodrum

Mark was born in Boston Massachusetts. He started playing drums and saxophone in high school, after which he attended Grambling State University in Louisiana, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Music Education. Mark started his teaching career in Fort Lauderdale Florida in 1982. Soon after, Mark and his wife moved to Albuquerque where he taught 33 years in the Albuquerque public schools from elementary to high school. Mark retired in 2014 and soon thereafter joined the Rio Rancho New Horizons Band and became one of our directors.

Al Smith

Al taught band in Las Vegas, Nevada, retiring in 2005. Since then he participates in several ensembles in the Albuquerque and Rio Rancho area, including conducting the New Horizons Band in Rio Rancho. In addition to being a great conductor, Al is an outstanding clarinet and saxophone player in the band.

Ralph Harris

Ralph is a retired public school band director with 40 years in Mississippi and New Mexico. He is also a retired 1st Sergeant with the 44th Army Band here in New Mexico. His 21 year career included being a Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Specialist in Korea. He was an NBC squad leader deployed in Desert Storm and was a bandsman deployed to Kosovo. Ralph is also the director for the Duke Site Band, and, by the way, when not on the podium, plays a mean trumpet.

Betsy VanDyke

Betsy earned a Bachelor of Music Education and a Master of Music with trombone performance degree from UNM, and with all that background she has taught in the Albuquerque Public Schools for 28 years. She was awarded the Golden Apple Award in 2009, which is a means of selecting and honoring some of the outstanding teachers in the Albuquerque Public Schools. Betsy is the mother of three girls, and grandmother to seven. We are loving experiencing the energy and talent Betsy brings to our band.