Meet the Directors
To win this in '09 was such a fun surprise!
Thanks to those of you who
voted and sent comments. -Mr. B
Ward S. Brannman
Ward S. Brannman has been the Director of Bands at Kamiakin Junior High School since 1986. A Seattle native and current Bothell resident, he is a graduate of the Shoreline School District and a 1985 graduate of the University of Washington with a B.A. in Music Education and a Bachelor of Music Degree. While at the U.W., he studied trumpet and jazz studies with Roy Cummings and conducting under Vilem Sokol. He also holds a Master's of Education Degree with a focus on Integrated Arts Education. Mr. Brannman has taught concert groups, jazz studies, conducting, and brass pedagogy and has served as a clinician and adjudicator for state-wide concert band and solo/ensemble festivals. Mr. Brannman is listed in several editions of "Who's Who Among America's Teachers" and in 1998, was awarded Washington State’s "Christa McAuliffe Excellence In Education Award" at our Capitol Building in Olympia. In 2004, he was awarded the Northlake Region’s “Outstanding Music Educator of the Year” in Yakima and received the Washington PTA’s Golden Acorn Award in 2007. Mr. Brannman serves as Washington's Jr. All-State Screening & Band Manager and was selected as the KING5 "Best of Western Washington" Favorite Teacher in 2009. Recently, he was selected by the WMEA as the 2011 "Junior High Music Teacher of the Year". Brannman currently directs five concert bands and the school's Jazz Ensemble & Stage Band. Outside of work, he loves to dabble in photography. His wife plays viola and they have two daughters; a UW/Bothell freshman and a 5th year student at CWU majoring in Music Education who plays the clarinet.
Chris Stroh
Christopher Stroh is in his third year teaching band and general music in the Lake Washington School District. He previously taught band and general music at the elementary and secondary levels in Minnesota and South Dakota. His primary instrument is percussion, and has been playing since 1992. He currently plays with several musical groups in the Seattle area. He has performed at Benaroya Hall with the Northwest Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Seattle, at a Mariners game with Brass Band Northwest, and at the Desert 100 Motorcycle Rally with his rock band, The Bonobros. In his free time he enjoys coin collecting and spending time with his cat, Boston.