The Oak Ridge High School Choral Department is a family of extraordinary students who eagerly share their passion for singing, learning, and developing life-long friendship. We pride ourselves in not only excelling in fundamentals of choral music literacy, but also in practicing valuable leadership skills. By building community through song, we strive to create young men and women who will be the positive differences in our future.
Thomas Kang, Director
Mr. Kang is excited to share his fourth year as the Choir Director at Oak Ridge High School. Under his direction, The Oak Ridge Choirs have received multiple Sweepstakes awards at the UIL Concert & Sight Reading Evaluation, as well as various First Division ratings in competitions throughout the state of Texas. The Oak Ridge Rhapsody under his direction recently won first place at the North Texas Madrigal Festival.
Mr. Kang holds a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Baylor University. While at Baylor, he performed in various locations throughout the United States including TMEA in San Antonio, National ACDA in Salt Lake City, Yale Summer Institute Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, and has toured internationally to France and Kenya. He was awarded Collegiate Music Educator Award from Texas Music Educators Association in 2017.
Mr. Kang is a member of TMEA and TCDA. He has served in the TMEA Logistics Team, the Tenor Section Leader for the TMEA Region IX Honor Choir, and the Tenor 2 Section Leader for the TMEA All-State Men’s Choir. He was also featured as the Tenor in the All-State Practice Track in 2018-19. Mr. Kang is a frequent clinician for Junior High and High School Choirs around the Houston area.
Mr. Kang is a native of Seoul, South Korea, but has called Houston home for the past 18 years. He is a proud graduate of Cypress Falls High School in CFISD, where he was a 4-year All-State Choir member, starting Offensive Linemen for the Football team, and an Honor graduate. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking, the great outdoors, playing golf, and watching all sports.
tkang@conroeisd.net
Natalie Parrish, Associate Director
Natalie Parrish is so excited to join the team at Oak Ridge! Mrs. Parrish is starting her 9th year teaching. She has spent the past 4 years at Anthony Middle School as head choir director in CFISD, where she lead choirs to numerous sweepstakes and awards at various festivals. Mrs. Parrish graduated Summa Cum Laude and University Scholar from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2015 where she studied with Tod Fish, Debbie Berry, and Tim King and was in multiple ensembles including the SFA A Cappella Choir and Madrigal Singers. Mrs. Parrish is a member of TMEA, TCDA, and Pi Kappa Lambda.
Mrs. Parrish is excited to join Mr. Parrish in Conroe ISD along with their cat, a Hugo.