Plano Senior High School Band - Symphony Orchestra Detail

Rehearsal Schedule

Directors

Symphony Orchestra

Brian Coatney, Orchestra Director

Brian Coatney, born in Arlington, Texas, began studying the cello privately at a young age of five. He continued his music studies through out high school participating in Orchestra as well as playing percussion in numerous ensembles.

After graduating from high school, Coatney pursued his music career at Northwestern State University where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelors Degree in Music Education. During his tenure at Northwestern State, Coatney performed as a soloist on the cello, participated in several orchestral ensembles, and began studying the art of orchestral conducting with Dr. George Adams, Mr. Scott York, and Mr. Harold Farberman. In 2003, Coatney earned a Masters in Orchestral Conducting at James Madison University where he had the opportunity to study with Dr. Robert McCashin and Chistoph Sandman.

In 2003, Mr. Coatney joined the Klein High School fine arts program as the assistant Orchestra Director. Klein High School has a long tradition of success earning several sweepstake awards at UIL, Best in Class awards at the South Coast Music Festival, and winning the TMEA Honor Orchestra competition four times in the past nine years. Mr. Coatney was also the conductor of the Houston Youth Symphony Sinfonietta Orchestra.

Mr. Coatney recently joined the Plano Senior High School fine arts team in 2007 as the Head Orchestra Director. He is a member of the American String Teachers Association, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Orchestra Director's Association, and the professional music fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha.

Jeremy Kondrat, Director of Bands

Jeremy Kondrat has served as the Director of Bands at Plano Senior High School in Plano, Texas from 2001-present. He is the principal conductor of the Plano Senior High School Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble and co-conductor of the Symphony Orchestra. He previously served as the Associate Director of Bands at Plano Senior High School during the 1998-2000 school years. He has also served as Director of Bands at McKinney High School in McKinney, Texas and Associate Director of Bands at Cudahy High School in Cudahy, Wisconsin.

Mr. Kondrat is dedicated to inspiring young musicians and sharing knowledge and passion for the art of creating music. Under Mr. Kondrat's direction the Plano Senior High School Symphony Orchestra has performed twice, in 2007 and 2009, as the Texas Music Educators Association Honor Full Orchestra. In 2007, the Plano Senior High School Wind Ensemble was named winner of the National Wind Band Honors Award. While Mr. Kondrat has served as Director of Bands at Plano Senior High School, the music department has been named a Grammy Signature School Gold Award Recipient twice, in 2005 and 2007. In 2005, the Plano SHS Jazz Ensemble was selected as one of the top fifteen bands in the United States to perform at the Essentially Ellington Jazz Band Competition at Lincoln Center in New York City. In 2004, Mr. Kondrat conducted the Plano SHS Symphony Orchestra in concert at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago. The Plano SHS Wind Ensemble consistently receives first division and sweepstakes awards at local and national festivals.

Mr. Kondrat received a Bachelor of Music degree in music education and trombone performance from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. He earned a Master of Music degree in trombone performance from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado. In addition, Jeremy Kondrat has been recently named Conductor of Blast of Brass.

Mr. Kondrat resides in Plano, Texas with his wife, April, and children, Emily, Rachel, and Ethan. Mr. Kondrat is a substitute trombonist with the Dallas Wind Symphony and remains an active freelance musician in the classical and jazz idioms.

Stefanie Hayes, Associate Orchestra Director

Ms. Stefanie Hayes is the Assistant Orchestra Director at Plano Senior High School and Robinson Middle School in Plano ISD. A recent graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Ms. Hayes received her Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Studies in May 2007. She completed her student teaching in Austin Independent School District at the McCallum High School Fine Arts Academy and Lamar Middle School. During her education at the University of Texas, she studied cello with world-renowned string pedagogue Phyllis Young. Ms. Hayes also worked under Dr. Laurie Scott with the University of Texas String Project, co-conducting the Elementary and Advanced Orchestras as well as teaching a Music Theory Class. She continues to be a highly active member of seeral organizations including the Texas Orchestra Directors Association, the Texas Music Educators Association, and the professional music sorority Sigma alpha Iota.

Rehearsal Schedule

The Full Symphony Orchestra rehearses on Tuesdays starting in late fall semester/early spring semester from 4:30-6:30p. Detailed schedule to be given during the school year.