Cypress Creek Band Directors
"Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing." - Pele
Kevin Wood
Director of Bands
Kevin Wood is the Director of Bands at Cypress Creek High School in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District. His responsibilities include the administration and artistic vision of the Cy Creek band program. He serves as the conductor of the Wind Ensemble, Director of the Cougar Marching Band, assists with Symphonic Winds, Symphonic Band, and Concert Winds, as well as overseeing all aspects of the program.
Prior to his appointment at Cy Creek, Mr. Wood served for seven years as the Associate Director at Cypress Woods High School. Previously he was an Assistant Band Director in the Aldine ISD at Aldine High School and Plummer Middle School. He began his teaching career at Northshore High School in Slidell, LA.
Active in the marching arts, Mr. Wood currently serves as a marching band adjudicator, drill designer, and clinician/consultant. He is a former marching member of the Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps. He has taught on the educational staffs of various drum corps including the Academy, Colts, Revolution, and Santa Clara Vanguard.
Mr. Wood has co-presented clinics on music education at the TMEA convention in San Antonio, the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, IL, and the CFISD RRR Leadership Conference. He has participated in conducting symposiums with some of the most recognized wind conductors including Eugene Corporon, Gary Green, Michael Haithcock, Allan McMurray, H. Robert Reynolds, and Mallory Thompson. His professional memberships include the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, and the Texas Bandmasters Association.
Originally from Tennessee, Mr. Wood received his Bachelor's Degree in Instrumental Music Education from Louisiana State University in 2002. At LSU he studied trumpet with James West and conducting with Dr. Linda Moorhouse and Frank Wickes. He completed a Masters of Music in Wind Conducting at Sam Houston State University under the guidance of Director of Bands, Dr. Matthew McInturf.
When not busy at school, Mr. Wood enjoys running, attending concerts, and traveling. He resides in Cypress with his wife, Priya, and their daughter Rani.
Active in the marching arts, Mr. Wood currently serves as a marching band adjudicator, drill designer, and clinician/consultant. He is a former marching member of the Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps. He has taught on the educational staffs of various drum corps including the Academy, Colts, Revolution, and Santa Clara Vanguard.
Mr. Wood has co-presented clinics on music education at the TMEA convention in San Antonio, the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, IL, and the CFISD RRR Leadership Conference. He has participated in conducting symposiums with some of the most recognized wind conductors including Eugene Corporon, Gary Green, Michael Haithcock, Allan McMurray, H. Robert Reynolds, and Mallory Thompson. His professional memberships include the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, and the Texas Bandmasters Association.
Originally from Tennessee, Mr. Wood received his Bachelor's Degree in Instrumental Music Education from Louisiana State University in 2002. At LSU he studied trumpet with James West and conducting with Dr. Linda Moorhouse and Frank Wickes. He completed a Masters of Music in Wind Conducting at Sam Houston State University under the guidance of Director of Bands, Dr. Matthew McInturf.
When not busy at school, Mr. Wood enjoys running, attending concerts, and traveling. He resides in Cypress with his wife, Priya, and their daughter Rani.
Aaron Kennell
Associate Director of Bands
Originally from Ohio, Mr. Kennell received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Bowling Green State University in 2006. He studied trombone under Paul Hunt, Sean Flanigan, David Jackson, and Bill Mathis and conducting with Ryan Nowlin and Bruce Moss. He completed a Master of Music degree in Music and Human Learning at the University of Texas in 2011 under the guidance of Bob Duke.
Mr. Kennell is an active adjudicator and consultant/clinician with bands in Texas and Ohio. He has co-presented clinics at the Texas Music Educator Association (TMEA) and has written articles for the Southwestern Musician and the School Band and Orchestra Magazine.
Mr. Kennell is an active adjudicator and consultant/clinician with bands in Texas and Ohio. He has co-presented clinics at the Texas Music Educator Association (TMEA) and has written articles for the Southwestern Musician and the School Band and Orchestra Magazine.
His professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, International Trombone Association, and Kappa Kappa Psi. Mr. Kennell comes to us from Nimitz High School in Aldine ISD where he served as the Director of Bands for the past 4 years. At Nimitz he was the primary teacher for the Wind Ensemble, Marching Band, and coordinated all aspects of the band and color guard. Mr. Kennell’s previous teaching experience in Aldine ISD includes Plummer Middle School and Aldine High School as well as Randall High School in Canyon ISD in Amarillo, TX. Bands under his direction have received numerous sweepstakes awards in both marching and concert season. During his time at UT, he also taught private lessons and served as a marching tech for Anderson High School, Dripping Springs High School, and Cedar Park High School.
Born into a musical family, both of his parents were music educators. Mr. Kennell lives with his wife Christine, who is also a busy band director, and their beautiful daughters Adalyn and Katherine.
Born into a musical family, both of his parents were music educators. Mr. Kennell lives with his wife Christine, who is also a busy band director, and their beautiful daughters Adalyn and Katherine.
Christian Pitre
Director of Percussion and Assistant Director of Bands
Christian Pitre currently serves as the Director of Percussion and Assistant Director of Bands at Cypress Creek High School. Before moving to Houston, Mr. Pitre was the Percussion Director for La Grange ISD, where he programmed the school’s first percussion ensemble concert and founded the school’s indoor percussion program, which earned placements at state in their second year of competition. A native of Lafayette, Louisiana, Christian is a graduate of Lafayette High School and holds a Bachelors in Music Education from Louisiana State University. His primary teachers were Brett Dietz, Shawn Galvin, Stanton Moore, Damon Talley, Dennis Llinas, James Byo, and Ann Marie Stanley.
While at LSU, Christian performed as a bass drummer with the Golden Band from Tigerland and was a regular performer with the Percussion Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and New Music Ensemble. He simultaneously kept a busy teaching schedule, working with several high schools in south Louisiana and serving as the Front Ensemble Coordinator at Dutchtown High School. Christian’s extra-curricular performance experience includes several community organizations, such as the Lafayette Concert Band, Acadian Wind Symphony, Austin Symphonic Band, and the Louisiana Stars Drum Corps.
Mr. Pitre's professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and the Percussive Arts Society.
While at LSU, Christian performed as a bass drummer with the Golden Band from Tigerland and was a regular performer with the Percussion Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and New Music Ensemble. He simultaneously kept a busy teaching schedule, working with several high schools in south Louisiana and serving as the Front Ensemble Coordinator at Dutchtown High School. Christian’s extra-curricular performance experience includes several community organizations, such as the Lafayette Concert Band, Acadian Wind Symphony, Austin Symphonic Band, and the Louisiana Stars Drum Corps.
Mr. Pitre's professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and the Percussive Arts Society.
Madalyn Brown
Color Guard Director
Madalyn Brown currently serves as Cypress Creek's Color Guard Director. Ms. Brown is a recent graduate from the University of Houston, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Development. Perfecting her talent over her four years with the Cy-Fair High School Color Guard and Winter Guard, including two years as Captain, Ms. Brown also brings a wealth of experience from performing with Redemption Winter Guard. Her dedication and leadership skills make her an invaluable asset to the Cy Creek fine arts team.