Directors

Brian Beck, Director of Bands

Brian Beck is currently the Director of Bands at Davis High School in Yakima, Washington.   Brian graduated summa cum laude with his degree in Broad Area Music Education and a Douglas Honors College Interdisciplinary Honors Minor at Central Washington University in 2014.  In 2021 he received his Masters in Music Education from CWU and in 2023 achieved National Board Certification.

Brian has performed with the CWU Symphony Orchestra and as principal tuba of the CWU Wind Ensemble under Larry Gookin. Brian also played bass trombone in the CWU Jazz bands. During this time he helped run the CWU Marching Band as well as working with various other marching ensembles groups in the Northwest.

Since starting at Davis in the fall of 2014, the band program has tripled in size.  The marching band, percussion ensemble, jazz band, and wind bands are recognized as some of the top groups in the region/state.  In 2019, the Davis Percussion Ensemble were selected as WIAA State Champions. The Davis Wind Ensemble has performed as a featured concert hour group at the 2019 NAfME Northwest Conference and the 2024 WMEA State Conference.  The A.C. Davis Band Program was the Northwestern Region winner and one of five national finalists for the Foster Award recognizing excellence in music in Title 1 schools in 2019.

Brian is currently serves as President of the Yakima Valley Music Educators Association and is on the board of directors for the Seasons Performance Hall. He has served on the staff of the Metro-Capitol Leadership Academy located in Salem, Oregon since 2016.  Brian was selected as the 2020 YVMEA Regional Outstanding Music Educator of the Year and has received the prestigious Citation of Excellence from the National Band Association.

Outside of music, Brian is an avid skier who has been going up to White Pass Ski Area nearly every weekend since the age of four. Once the snow melts, you can find him hiking, camping, and mountain biking with his family and friends.

Ensembles: Marching Band, Pep Band, Concert Band, Advanced Band, Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble 2, Jazz 2

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Samuel Howard, Director of Jazz and Percussion

Sam Howard is in his third year as Band Director at Davis High School. Previously, Sam was Band Director for Morgan Middle School in Ellensburg, Washington where he co-taught all concert bands grades 6-8.

Sam graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Instrumental Music Education from Central Washington University in 2020. While at CWU, he served for two seasons as Drum Major of the CWU Marching Band, and was a soloist for the band in 2016. As a trombonist, Sam performed with all three collegiate wind bands including the renowned CWU Wind Ensemble under Lewis Norfleet. Sam was also a frequent member of the CWU jazz bands and combos, spending three years as a member of the acclaimed CWU Jazz Band 1 under the Direction of Chris Bruya, where the band earned a featured performance at the 2019 International Jazz Educators Network Conference.

As a jazz musician, Sam has performed with various award-winning artists such as Terrell Stafford, Dafnis Prieto, Wayne Bergeron, Brian Lynch, Bob McChesney, Jeff Coffin, and others. Currently, Sam regular performs locally with the Ellensburg Big Band.

Sam’s previous teaching experience includes instructing the low brass for the AC Davis Marching and Concert Bands from 2016-2019, and taught low brass for the Cle Elum-Roslyn High School Marching Band and Concert band from 2019-2020. Additionally, Sam has been on the Brass Staff for the Columbians Drum and Bugle Corps out of Pasco, Washington since 2020.  As a Jazz Teacher, Sam was Director of the CWU Jazz Band 4 from 2017-2019, and was an instructor for the Columbia Basin College Jazz Summit in 2019. In 2021, Sam was nominated for Teacher of the Year at Morgan Middle School.

Outside of music, Sam loves to spend his time wakeboarding, snowboarding, and spending quality time with friends and family.

Ensembles:  Marching Band, Pep Band, Concert Band, Percussion Ensemble 1, Jazz 1

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Elaine Fite, Color Guard Caption Supervisor

Elaine’s performance history includes Oklahoma State University, the Bluecoats, Black Gold Winterguard, Rhapsody Winterguard, and the Pandemic Performance Ensemble.  She has taught at high schools across the country and worked with the Seattle Cascades, Spirit of Atlanta, Central Washington University, and Snowflake Lane.  She graduated from Oklahoma State with an MS in Zoology in 2009 and currently lives near Seattle is the director of Rhapsody Winterguard, and teaches guard at Spirit of Atlanta Drum Corps.

Elaine loves working with Davis High School and continuing to grow the program and provide a positive experience for the students.  Outside of color guard Elaine loves pursue other areas of dance/movement as well as occasionally go ice climbing.

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Kevin White, Percussion Caption Supervisor

Kevin White is currently studying towards his Bachelor of Music in Music Education and his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy at Central Washington University. As a performer, Kevin performs with the Percussion Ensemble, Marching Band, Jazz Combos, and CWU Wind Ensemble under Dr. T. André Feagin. He also played in the Cal Poly Marching Band and the Arab Music Ensemble.

Kevin owes much of his musical foundation to the Kamiak High School Show Band and Winter Percussion. The Winter Percussion performed in Open and World class in the NWAPA circuit and was undefeated in his time. At WGI World Championships in Dayton, they competed in Open Class. He also appreciates his guidance from Eric Yahrmarkt and his studies with Mark Goodenberger.

As a teacher, Kevin instructed and managed the Harbour Pointe Middle School drumlines in 2018 and 2020. He also teaches visual and percussion at the Kamiak indoor and outdoor groups, working since 2019. In 2021, the Show Band placed 2nd at NWAPA championships with the Show Band’s highest ever score of 89.90. Kevin also teaches private lessons for drumset, marching percussion, Scottish snare, and orchestral percussion.

Kevin’s philosophical interests primarily revolve around the philosophy of art and personal expression/freedom. Thus, Kevin strives to bring a fulfilling experience to each of his students to grow as musicians and people. He loves working with his students and is excited to push them and this program to be the best possible.

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Martin Obrero, Visual Caption Supervisor

Martin Obrero is currently the Director of Bands at Washington Middle School in Yakima, Washington.  He graduated from Central Washington University in 2018 with degrees in Clarinet Performance and Music Education – Instrumental Focus. Martin has performed as principal clarinet with the CWU Symphony Orchestra under Dr. Nikolas Caolie and with the CWU Wind Ensemble under Larry Gookin and Lewis Norfleet.

Martin is currently in his 6th year in his career at Washington. He also serves at the Visual Caption Supervisor for the A.C. Davis Marching Band, having served as a clarinet and visual instructor for several years prior to his beginning at Washington.

Other than being a band director, Martin spends his free time hanging out with his 5 pups at home, playing Valorant, dancing, or having fun on the Columbia River. You will also find him working on instrument repair as a spare hobby.

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Marching Band Design Staff

Brian Beck – Program Coordinator/Drill Design

Jeff Chambers – Wind Composer/Arranger

Reese Maultsby – Percussion Arranger

Elaine Fite – Choreographer/Guard Visual Design

Tim Mitchell – Sound Design

Kevin Ford – Show Design Consultant

Sean Dorn – Prop Development and Design

Manuel Pedrosa – Prop Electronics/Digital Design Consultant

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Middle School Band Teachers

Katelin Crowner – Wilson Middle School

Tammi Beam and Dean Millett – Lewis and Clark Middle School

Brian Petilo – Franklin Middle School

Martin Obrero – Washington Middle School

Linda Doria – Union Gap School