Directors
Louie Blancarte, Band Director - lblancarte@seguin.k12.tx.us
Mr. Blancarte has taught at Briesemeister Middle School in Seguin since 2007. He oversees all aspects of the program and teaches Honor Band, beginning horn, trumpet, baritone, trombone, and tuba. During his time in Seguin, the Briesemeister bands have consistently earned first division ratings at UIL Contests as well as Outstanding Performance awards at the TLU Band Festival. In 2015, the non-varsity band earned its first Sweepstakes award in school history. Prior to arriving in Seguin, Mr. Blancarte taught the middle school and high school band at Stockdale, leading them to their first Superior Ratings at UIL since 1998. Mr. Blancarte is a Magna cum Laude graduate from the University of North Texas. During his time at North Texas, he studied tuba privately with Don Little and Brian Bowman and studied music education/conducting with Dennis Fisher and Eugene Corporon.
Mr. Blancarte has also received his Masters in Music Education, Summa cum Laude, from the renowned Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. His studies focused on best methods for developing musical literacy and comprehension in collaboration with Christopher Azzara and Richard Grunow. Additionally, he studied tuba privately with Don Harry.
Mr. Blancarte is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, and an alumnus of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity. His wife, Heidi Blancarte, is the music teacher at Memorial Elementary in New Braunfels ISD, and they have three daughters, Holly, Lily and Ivy.
Elizabeth Landry, Associate Director - elandry@seguin.k12.tx.us
Mrs. Landry has taught at Briesemeister Middle School in Seguin since 2015. She currently teaches Symphonic Band, Concert band, and beginning flute, clarinet, and sax. Under her direction, the Symphonic Band has continued to receive accolades at various contests, consistently earning superior ratings at contests. Mrs. Landry transferred from Seguin High School where she taught for 3 years. During her time at the high school, she oversaw the Symphonic Band and team-taught the Wind Symphony. The Wind Symphony earned consistent Sweepstakes ratings and the Symphonic Band earned consistent First Division ratings. Under her direction the Symphonic Band earned its first Sweepstakes award since at least 2005. Before moving to Seguin in 2012, Mrs. Landry taught 6-12 band at Big Sandy ISD, and middle school band in Natchitoches Parish.
Mrs. Landry’s primary instrument is the saxophone. She is a 2003 graduate of Chapel Hill High School in Tyler, TX and a 2007 Magna Cum Laude graduate from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA with a Bachelor of Music Education. During her time at NSU, she participated in the Spirit of Northwestern Marching band and the Wind Ensemble.
Mrs. Landry is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association and a Life Member of Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority. She is married to Erik Landry and they have two childern, Zoe and Thor.
Brad Samsen, Beginner Percussion - bsamsen@seguin.k12.tx.us
Brad Samsen is from Toledo, Ohio, where he graduated from Bowling Green State University in 2015. While at BGSU, Samsen performed with the Percussion Ensemble, BG Philharmonia Orchestra, Wind Symphony, Concert Band and the Falcon Marching Band.
As a performer, Samsen was a member of Dutch Boy Drum and Bugle Corps from 2008-2009 and Legends Drum and Bugle Corps from 2011-2012. Mr. Samsen also performed with Legends Winter Percussion in 2013 and world-class finalists, Northcoast Academy Percussion Ensemble, from 2014 to 2015.
As an educator, Samsen was most recently an Assistant Band Director/Percussion Specialist at Roma High School and Ramiro Barrera Middle School in Roma, Texas from 2015-2019. Prior to moving to Texas, Mr. Samsen taught Notre Dame Indoor Percussion Ensemble in 2015, as well as Findlay High School Indoor Percussion from 2011 to 2015.