Mrs. Celone is returning for her second year as Head Director of the Durham Dragon Bands  She is excited about the growth of the program and looks forward to further growth and even more fun this year!  Mrs. Celone's responsibilities include directing both the Honor and Symphonic Winds as well as teaching the beginning brass and flute classes.

Mrs. Celone graduated from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas with a Bachelor in Music Education degree in May of 1995.  She started her teaching career in Bellevue, Nebraska where she taught beginners and assisted at Bellevue West High School.  In 1997, Mrs. Celone became the Head Middle School Director and Assistant High School Director in Canton, Texas.  During that time the Canton Marching Band ranked third in the Texas State Marching Contest.  Mrs. Celone’s middle school bands consistently earned First Division ratings at the University Interscholastic League Concert and Sightreading Contest.

Mrs. Celone was named the Head Band Director at Lamar Middle School in the Lewisville ISD in 2000.  Under her direction, the Lamar Band consistently received Superior ratings at the UIL Concert and Sightreading Contest.  The Symphonic Band was named Best in Class at the Big “D” Classic at the Myerson Symphony Center in 2002.  She was named Lamar’s Teacher of the Year for 2002-2003.  In the spring of 2003, Mrs. Celone’s husband’s job required him to move to Florida.  During that time, she was the Head Director at Lakeland Highlands Middle School in Lakeland, Florida.  Another job change brought her back to Flower Mound in the summer of 2004.  After opening Griffin Middle School in the Frisco ISD, in the 2004 school year, Christi was glad to be back in LISD as the Associate Director of Bands for Shadow Ridge MS when it opened in 2005.  Mrs. Celone was named Head Director of Durham before the 2007-2008 school year.

Mrs. Celone's professional affiliations: Texas Music Educator's Association and Tau Beta Sigma (a Band Service Sorority)

Ms. Arnondin is beginning her second year of teaching at Durham. Her responsibilities as the Associate Band Director include directing both the Symphonic and Honor Winds as well as teaching the beginning woodwind classes. 

Ms. Arnondin graduated from Texas A&M University-Commerce in May 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Music Education. While at Commerce she performed at the 2004 TMEA conference, the 2004 regional CBDNA, and the 2005 national CBDNA conferences with the Wind Ensemble, the 2006 TMEA conference with the clarinet choir, and spent 4 years in the Pride Marching Band. She received instruction from Dr. Jeffrey D. Gershman and Dr. Mary Alice Druhan.

Prior to her studies in Commerce, Ms. Arnondin was a student in the Lewisville ISD. She was in the McKamy Middle School Honor Winds for 2 years, the Flower Mound High School Wind Ensemble for 4 years, and was drum major for 3 years.

Ms. Arnondin currently lives in Lewisville with her two dogs, Tucker and Maximus.

Ms. Arnondin’s professional affiliations include:
Texas Music Educators Association
Texas Bandmasters’ Association
Tau Beta Sigma

Quiyan Murphy is in his 11^th year of full time teaching in Texas and his 4th year at Lewisville High School.  Quiyan is a graduate of the University of North Texas where he participated in the World’s Most Dangerous Drumline as well as many other performance ensembles.  Quiyan began his unofficial teaching experience while in high school where he taught the drumline as well as private lessons to his classmates.

Quiyan’s drum corps experience includes performing with the now defunct Sky Ryders Drum & Bugle Corps from Hutchinson, KS and with the Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps from Concord, CA.  As a member of the Blue Devils Quiyan served one year as the quad section leader and is a member of the Blue Devils Hall of Fame.  

Quiyan spent the last 7 years teaching at Newman Smith High School. During his tenure at Newman Smith Quiyan quadrupled the size of the percussion program from 4 to 17 percussionists. Additionally the Newman Smith percussion ensembles consistently earned superior ratings at the Texas State Solo & Ensemble Contest. Additionally the Newman Smith Percussion Ensemble was invited to perform at the 2002 Bands of America National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis, IN.  Mr. Murphy’s additional teaching experience includes teaching summer camps and clinics at several programs around the metroplex as well as Hawaii and Canada.

Mr. Murphy is part of the Innovative Percussion educational team. In addition to being a busy educator and clinician he is married to Ellie Murphy and they are the proud parents of Naomi who never ceases to amaze them.

Beth Mairs brings to the podium and to her classroom, a passion for music, a deep love of children, and a strong commitment to help students develop as musicians and fall in love with music at the same time.

Raised in Pittsburgh, PA in a family where all types of music were revered and learning to play an instrument was encouraged, Beth began playing the horn in the 4^th grade.  She studied with Patricia Standley and later Forrest Standley.  A member of the public school bands and the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony, she discovered the joys of playing in an ensemble that was not only good, but in which everyone seemed to love being a part of that ensemble.  Influenced by her attendance at many performances of the Pittsburgh Symphony under William Steinberg, Beth pursued a Music Performance degree at West Virginia University, studying with Forest Standley and David Mairs.  Upon receiving her degree, she served as Third Horn for the San Antonio Symphony before returning to Pittsburgh, where she joined the faculty of Duquesne University as a Horn Instructor.  She performed as a member of the Pittsburgh Chamber Orchestra, the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, and as an extra hornist with the Pittsburgh Symphony (under Steinberg and Andre Previn) and the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra.

Marriage and family took her to Flint, Michigan where she served as 2^nd Horn for the Flint Symphony for five years.  In Flint, while nurturing her children in their early education, Beth Mairs discovered her passion for working with children.  Beginning as a classroom teacher of 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th graders, she continued playing and teaching private horn students.  In 1989 the Mairs family moved to San Antonio, TX, and Beth began her career as a public school music educator.  She taught Middle School Orchestra for several years before being invited to join the staff at Winston Churchill High School.  During her 4 years at Churchill High School, Beth witnessed the musical growth of many students, including her two daughters, Ellie and Sarie.  Sarie is now a member of the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange in Washington, DC.  Ellie decided to become a Band Director like her mother and has conducted for the last 5 years at Lewisville High School in Lewisville, TX.