Director of Bands
Keith Alexander Morales is serving as Director of Bands at Del Valle High School in the Ysleta Independent School District. His previous experience includes serving as Associate Director of Bands at Del Valle High School.
Mr. Morales began his musical studies at the age of eight, singing and playing guitar in a mariachi ensemble in his hometown of El Paso, Texas. Since then, Mr. Morales has switched his focus to trumpet and has tallied performances with some of the world’s most prestigious musicians. Mr. Morales has shared the stage with Wayne Bergeron, Brad Leali, Phillip Smith, Mike Vax, and many others. His principal teachers include Brad Leali, Stephen Jones, Marty Olivas, Professor Will Strieder, Dr. Max Matzen, and Dr. Sarah McKoin.
Mr. Morales is actively encouraging new compositions for trumpet. On April 9, 2011, he performed the world premiere of Harlan Hodges’s “Portrait of Falling Asleep” for trumpet and piano. This work was written specifically for his ability to
perform proficiently in both jazz and classical styles.
In April 2011, Mr. Morales was the winner of Texas Tech Trumpet Symposium’s Concerto Competition- where he performed Henri Tomasi’s “Trumpet Concerto,” receiving high honors and awards from James Thompson, Professor of Trumpet at the world-renowned Eastman School of Music.
Since the summer of 2011, Mr. Morales has been an instructor at the Texas Tech Band and Orchestra Camps, teaching improvisation classes, assisting with the jazz ensembles, and giving trumpet master classes.
Mr. Morales graduated from Texas Tech University in May 2013 with Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education and Trumpet Performance. During this time, he also received a certificate in Jazz Studies under the direction of Professor Stephen Jones. For three years, while attending Texas Tech, he held the principal trumpet chair in both the Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Wind Ensemble.
Concurrently, he held the solo trumpet chair in the Texas Tech Jazz Ensemble I. Mr. Morales is an aspiring educator and performer on a mission to become adept in both the classical and jazz idioms by continuing his education at the Master’s level.
Mr. Morales is an active clinician in the southwest and has had the honor as serving as the TMEA All-Region Jazz Band for region 22. He has also served as YISD Middle School Jazz Band Clinician. Mr Morales currently serves as All-Region and All-State Jazz trumpet panel chair. He currently plays with the El Paso Wind Symphony, Five Four Brass Quintet, The Quintessential Brass Quintet, and Mariachi Los Arrieros. In addition to this this, Mr. Morales also serves as assistant director in the El Paso Youth Jazz Ensemble.
Mr. Morales currently resides in El Paso, Texas with his wife Tracy Morales and his daughter Ava.
Keith Alexander Morales is serving as Director of Bands at Del Valle High School in the Ysleta Independent School District. His previous experience includes serving as Associate Director of Bands at Del Valle High School.
Mr. Morales began his musical studies at the age of eight, singing and playing guitar in a mariachi ensemble in his hometown of El Paso, Texas. Since then, Mr. Morales has switched his focus to trumpet and has tallied performances with some of the world’s most prestigious musicians. Mr. Morales has shared the stage with Wayne Bergeron, Brad Leali, Phillip Smith, Mike Vax, and many others. His principal teachers include Brad Leali, Stephen Jones, Marty Olivas, Professor Will Strieder, Dr. Max Matzen, and Dr. Sarah McKoin.
Mr. Morales is actively encouraging new compositions for trumpet. On April 9, 2011, he performed the world premiere of Harlan Hodges’s “Portrait of Falling Asleep” for trumpet and piano. This work was written specifically for his ability to
perform proficiently in both jazz and classical styles.
In April 2011, Mr. Morales was the winner of Texas Tech Trumpet Symposium’s Concerto Competition- where he performed Henri Tomasi’s “Trumpet Concerto,” receiving high honors and awards from James Thompson, Professor of Trumpet at the world-renowned Eastman School of Music.
Since the summer of 2011, Mr. Morales has been an instructor at the Texas Tech Band and Orchestra Camps, teaching improvisation classes, assisting with the jazz ensembles, and giving trumpet master classes.
Mr. Morales graduated from Texas Tech University in May 2013 with Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education and Trumpet Performance. During this time, he also received a certificate in Jazz Studies under the direction of Professor Stephen Jones. For three years, while attending Texas Tech, he held the principal trumpet chair in both the Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Wind Ensemble.
Concurrently, he held the solo trumpet chair in the Texas Tech Jazz Ensemble I. Mr. Morales is an aspiring educator and performer on a mission to become adept in both the classical and jazz idioms by continuing his education at the Master’s level.
Mr. Morales is an active clinician in the southwest and has had the honor as serving as the TMEA All-Region Jazz Band for region 22. He has also served as YISD Middle School Jazz Band Clinician. Mr Morales currently serves as All-Region and All-State Jazz trumpet panel chair. He currently plays with the El Paso Wind Symphony, Five Four Brass Quintet, The Quintessential Brass Quintet, and Mariachi Los Arrieros. In addition to this this, Mr. Morales also serves as assistant director in the El Paso Youth Jazz Ensemble.
Mr. Morales currently resides in El Paso, Texas with his wife Tracy Morales and his daughter Ava.
Associate Director of Bands
Robert Hayden is serving in his first year as an Associate Director of Bands at Del Valle High School. Prior to arriving at Del Valle High School, Mr. Hayden worked as an Elementary Band Director in Ysleta ISD, served as an Associate Director of Bands at Riverside Middle School, and eventually became Director of Bands at Riverside Middle School for four years. His concert bands, jazz bands, and marching band have consistently received sweepstakes honors.
Mr. Hayden performs professionally throughout the El Paso area for the Living Christmas Tree and Fort Bliss’s 62nd Army Band. Mr. Hayden also serves as an active band clinician in the southwest region and in 2006 Mr. Hayden was the guest clinician for the Ysleta ISD Elementary Honor Band.
Mr. Hayden is currently in the process of obtaining his Masters in Music Education from the University of Texas at El Paso. Mr. Hayden received bachelors in Music from the University of Arizona in 2004. His professional affiliations include TMEA, TBA, TJEA and KKY.
Mr. Hayden currently resides in El Paso Texas with his beautiful wife Megan Hayden and his three children Emma, Avery, and Kyle.
Robert Hayden is serving in his first year as an Associate Director of Bands at Del Valle High School. Prior to arriving at Del Valle High School, Mr. Hayden worked as an Elementary Band Director in Ysleta ISD, served as an Associate Director of Bands at Riverside Middle School, and eventually became Director of Bands at Riverside Middle School for four years. His concert bands, jazz bands, and marching band have consistently received sweepstakes honors.
Mr. Hayden performs professionally throughout the El Paso area for the Living Christmas Tree and Fort Bliss’s 62nd Army Band. Mr. Hayden also serves as an active band clinician in the southwest region and in 2006 Mr. Hayden was the guest clinician for the Ysleta ISD Elementary Honor Band.
Mr. Hayden is currently in the process of obtaining his Masters in Music Education from the University of Texas at El Paso. Mr. Hayden received bachelors in Music from the University of Arizona in 2004. His professional affiliations include TMEA, TBA, TJEA and KKY.
Mr. Hayden currently resides in El Paso Texas with his beautiful wife Megan Hayden and his three children Emma, Avery, and Kyle.
Associate Director of Bands
Director of Percussion
Matthew Fernandez is the Director of Percussion at Del Valle High School (DVHS) and Del Valle Middle School (DVMS). He graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) with a bachelor degree in Music with a minor in Secondary Education. He performed with various ensembles during his studies at UTEP including the Symphonic Winds and Percussion Ensemble.
He attended the Sewanee Summer Music Festival (SSMF) in 2013 and 2014 where he played solo repertoire and performed in chamber ensembles under the instruction of John Kilkenny and John Spirtas of George Mason University. He was also a percussionist in the SSMF Festival Orchestra where he performed under world-renown conductors such as JoAnn Falletta of the Buffalo Philharmonic and with world class musicians such as Bela Fleck.
Under his direction, the DVHS percussion section was awarded first place in the marching division of the Sun City Throwdown competition in 2016-2018 as well as various captions. Also under his direction, the Valley View Middle School Percussion Ensemble (now part of DVMS) received second place in the Percussive Arts Society call for tapes in 2018. He also serves as event coordinator for the annual Conquer the Rhythm Percussion Ensemble Festival hosted at DVHS which serves to promote growth in the percussion community in the El Paso area.
Director of Percussion
Matthew Fernandez is the Director of Percussion at Del Valle High School (DVHS) and Del Valle Middle School (DVMS). He graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) with a bachelor degree in Music with a minor in Secondary Education. He performed with various ensembles during his studies at UTEP including the Symphonic Winds and Percussion Ensemble.
He attended the Sewanee Summer Music Festival (SSMF) in 2013 and 2014 where he played solo repertoire and performed in chamber ensembles under the instruction of John Kilkenny and John Spirtas of George Mason University. He was also a percussionist in the SSMF Festival Orchestra where he performed under world-renown conductors such as JoAnn Falletta of the Buffalo Philharmonic and with world class musicians such as Bela Fleck.
Under his direction, the DVHS percussion section was awarded first place in the marching division of the Sun City Throwdown competition in 2016-2018 as well as various captions. Also under his direction, the Valley View Middle School Percussion Ensemble (now part of DVMS) received second place in the Percussive Arts Society call for tapes in 2018. He also serves as event coordinator for the annual Conquer the Rhythm Percussion Ensemble Festival hosted at DVHS which serves to promote growth in the percussion community in the El Paso area.
Associate Director of Bands
Roque Orozco is the newest addition to the Del Valle HS Band staff. Though he has been in the DV area for almost four years, this is the first year he serves at the high school level. He began playing his trumpet in seventh grade at Camino Real MS. He continued playing his instrument throughout high school and college. He was a member of the Marching Miner Regiment, the Symphonic Winds, the Jazz 1 ensemble, the UTEP Orchestra, as well as many chamber and studio groups.
Mr. Orozco auditioned and was offered a spot as a lead trumpet player in the Academy Drum and Bugle Corps in 2012. In 2013 he served in the same corps as head drum major and earned second place for the Jim Jones Leadership Award. He is also a member of the National Music Fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
He graduated from UTEP in December of 2013 and began teaching at Hernando MS in January of 2014. He taught in the Socorro District for a year and a half, earning a sweepstakes award with the non-varsity group for the first time in the school’s history.
He arrived to the Del Valle Learning Community in August of 2015 to be the assistant director of bands at Camino Real MS, under the direction of Mrs. Tracy Morales. He taught at Camino Real MS for three years, and with the help of the entire DVHS area band teachers, was able to have the students earn their first sweepstakes with a non-varsity group for the first time in the school’s history. He also helped the DVHS marching band since the beginning of his work in the area.
Mr. Orozco has been a member of the El Paso Winds, formerly the El Paso Wind Symphony, for two years. He is also a member of Mariachi Los Pasajeros. He enjoys keeping up with his fitness by running and doing CrossFit. He will be competing this year in three Spartan Races to earn the Spartan Trifecta Medal.
Roque Orozco is the newest addition to the Del Valle HS Band staff. Though he has been in the DV area for almost four years, this is the first year he serves at the high school level. He began playing his trumpet in seventh grade at Camino Real MS. He continued playing his instrument throughout high school and college. He was a member of the Marching Miner Regiment, the Symphonic Winds, the Jazz 1 ensemble, the UTEP Orchestra, as well as many chamber and studio groups.
Mr. Orozco auditioned and was offered a spot as a lead trumpet player in the Academy Drum and Bugle Corps in 2012. In 2013 he served in the same corps as head drum major and earned second place for the Jim Jones Leadership Award. He is also a member of the National Music Fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
He graduated from UTEP in December of 2013 and began teaching at Hernando MS in January of 2014. He taught in the Socorro District for a year and a half, earning a sweepstakes award with the non-varsity group for the first time in the school’s history.
He arrived to the Del Valle Learning Community in August of 2015 to be the assistant director of bands at Camino Real MS, under the direction of Mrs. Tracy Morales. He taught at Camino Real MS for three years, and with the help of the entire DVHS area band teachers, was able to have the students earn their first sweepstakes with a non-varsity group for the first time in the school’s history. He also helped the DVHS marching band since the beginning of his work in the area.
Mr. Orozco has been a member of the El Paso Winds, formerly the El Paso Wind Symphony, for two years. He is also a member of Mariachi Los Pasajeros. He enjoys keeping up with his fitness by running and doing CrossFit. He will be competing this year in three Spartan Races to earn the Spartan Trifecta Medal.
