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Mr. Stetson Begin
Stetson Begin is starting his thirteenth year as an educator and opened Roy J. Sprague Middle School in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD as its new head director in the Fall of 2023. Before this appointment, he served as the director of bands at Krimmel Intermediate School in Klein ISD for five years and as the assistant director for five years.
Mr. Begin graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Houston where he studied with John Benzer, Marion West, David Bertman, and Randall Griffin. In 2012, Mr. Begin was the recipient of the Malcolm Helm Scholarship. Mr. Begin was named the Krimmel Intermediate School Teacher of the Year in 2016 and was named the Phi Beta Mu Texas Young Bandmaster of the Year in 2023.
Bands under his direction have consistently received superior sweepstakes ratings at UIL Concert and Sightreading Contest and have also earned recognition at both the state and national levels. In 2021, the Krimmel Intermediate Symphonic Band was named a National Winner in the 2021 Mark of Excellence/ Wind Band Honors Project. In February 2022, the Krimmel Intermediate Symphonic Band performed at the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Convention as an Invited Middle School Ensemble. Also in 2022, the Krimmel Intermediate Symphonic Band was invited to perform at the 76th Annual Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, Illinois. In its first year of inception, the Krimmel Intermediate Full Orchestra was the runner-up in the TMEA Middle School Honor Full Orchestra contest in 2023.
From 2018 to 2023, Mr. Begin served as the Region IX Middle School Band Coordinator. Mr. Begin’s professional affiliations include the Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and Pi Kappa Lamba National Music Honor Society.
Classes:
Symphonic Band
Beginning Double Reeds
Beginning Saxophone
Beginning Trombone
Mr. Sean Picot
Sean Picot is a Texas native, born and raised in San Antonio. After graduating high school he received his bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. During his time at SMU, Mr. Picot performed in many professional ensembles on both the Clarinet and Euphonium including the Meadows Wind Ensemble, SMU clarinet studio ensemble, SMU Mustang Band, various chamber ensembles and the SYZYGY Contemporary Wind Ensemble. Mr. Picot also served as the drum major of the Mustang Band for two years. In addition to performing with these university ensembles, Mr. Picot has five years of Drum Corps experience on Baritone having performed with Genesis, The Crossmen, and most recently The Boston Crusaders.
Mr. Picot is entering his fourth year as an educator and his third year at Sprague. Prior to Sprague Mr. Picot taught at Smith Middle School. Bands under the direction of Mr. Picot have consistently received superior sweepstakes ratings at UIL concert and Sight Reading as well as the Sub Non Varsity Grand Champion & Non Varisty Runner-Up at the Bridgeland Invitational. Currently, Mr. Picot also serves as a technician at Cypress Woods HS & Bridgeland HS. He has also worked as a technician and lesson teacher with several schools in the state including Lake Highlands Junior High, J.L. Long Middle School, Lake Highlands High School, Highland Park High School, Grapevine High School, Lakeview Centennial High School, and Alamo Heights High School.
Mr. Picot could not be more excited to follow his students and give back what he can to the Sprague community. GO CUBS!
Classes:
Concert Winds
Beginning Trumpet
Beginning French Horn
Beginning Low Brass
Mr. David Garcia
Mr. Garcia will be entering his fourth year as an educator and his third at Sprague having taught all four years in CFISD. Bands under the direction of Mr. Garcia have consistently received superior ratings at UIL Concert and Sight Reading.
Mr. Garcia is a Cypress-Fairbanks ISD alum, graduating from Cy-Fair High School in 2018. He then went to Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas where he received his degree in Music Education. While at Texas State, he studied Euphonium with Raul Rodriguez and was a member of the Wind Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Caroline Beatty. He also performed with the Bobcat Marching Band, serving as Sousaphone section leader, and the Texas State Jazz Bands playing Trombone. Mr. Garcia was also member of the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps.
Outside of the band hall, Mr. Garcia enjoys indoor rock climbing, going on walks, skiing, playing soccer and watching sports. His favorite teams are the Astros, Real Madrid, and the Texans!
Mr. Chris Nguyen
Chris Nguyen currently serves as the Assistant Band/Percussion Director for Bridgeland High School in Cypress, Texas. His duties there include directing all aspects of the indoor percussion program, percussion ensemble, marching band, and assists with teaching of the Wind Symphony, Symphonic Winds, Symphonic Band, and Concert Band at Bridgeland. Mr. Nguyen is also an advocate for strong vertical alignment within the 6-12th grade cluster, and therefore assists with beginner percussion classes, percussion ensembles, and master classes within the strong middle schools that feed into Bridgeland.
Mr. Nguyen grew up in Houston, Texas where he graduated from Cypress Falls High School. He then went to Texas A&M University where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Nursing and worked as an RN for a short time at Memorial Hermann Hospital. It was during this time that he realized that his true passion was in education. Chris then went back to the classroom at Sam Houston State University where he received his Music Education degree. At SHSU, he studied with Dr. Matthew McInturf and John Lane and was a member of the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and SHSU Percussion Group. During his time there, Mr. Nguyen was no stranger to the marching arts. He was a member of the Oregon Crusaders, Phantom Regiment, and ended his marching career with Monarch Independent in 2017. Chris also spent 3 summers at the Aspen Music Festival and School where he focused on orchestral percussion and studied with Cynthia Yeh, Dave Herbert, and Jonathan Haas.
Chris Nguyen is professionally affiliated with the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and Percussive Arts Society. He proudly endorses Vic Firth sticks and mallets and Zildjian cymbals.
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