John Nelson - Band Director
John Nelson has been Head Band Director at Cy-Fair High School since 2019 after serving 11 years as the Associate Band Director. His duties include conducting the Wind Ensemble, Marching Band, and overseeing the entire band program.
Graduating from Southwest Texas State University in 1996 with a degree in Music Education, John performed with the Mid-Texas Symphony, the University Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, and Steel Band including performance tours of Europe and Mexico. He received a performance scholarship from the Department of Music, was a two-time recipient of the Adams Scholarship, and won first place in the Woods Kone Scholarship by audition. John is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Bandmasters Association, TCGC, WGI, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity for men.
John has been involved in the Indoor Drumline activity since its inception in Texas in 1996 and is an eight-time percussion class champion in the Texas Color Guard Circuit, a four-time WGI national finalist, and served as an advisory board member for WGI. He has also served as Percussion Educator for TCGC as well as Percussion Administrator. He was also selected to perform at the Bands of America National Percussion Ensemble Festival in Indianapolis, IN. He was recently recognized by the president of Texas A&M for an award of excellence in education.
Most importantly, he lives happily on his 6-acre bamboo farm with his loving wife, Wendy, and their two sons, Austin and Carter (both graduates of the Cy-Fair Band Program). E-mail Mr. Nelson at john.nelson@cfisd.net
Shane Montoya - Assistant Band Director
Shane Montoya spent the first five years of his teaching career as the Associate Director of Bands at Arnold MS, where he assisted in directing the Varsity/Non-Varsity bands as well as teaching all beginner low brass classes. This will be his first year teaching as a band director at Cy-Fair HS but is no stranger to the program having worked with the marching and Indoor Percussion ensembles over the last 6 years.
Mr. Montoya is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin University, where he earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree in 2015. While pursuing his education at SFA, he performed in the Wind Ensemble under the direction of Mr. Fred Allen, studied tuba with Dr. JD Salas, and performed with the Lumberjack Marching Band. Mr. Montoya also performed with the Bluecoats, Madison Scouts, and Blue Knights Drum Corps as a part of Drum Corps International (DCI). In addition to performing in DCI he was also a Brass teacher for the Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps for the 2018 and 2019 seasons where they finished among the top 12 drum corps in the world.
Mr. Montoya's professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and Drum Corps International.
Mr. Montoya resides in the Cypress community and enjoys reading books and going to the beach in his spare time..
Alma Cantu - Assistant Band Director
Alma Cantu is in her 14th year with the Cy-Fair High School Band. She attended Sam Houston State University and transferred to Texas A&M at Corpus Christi graduating with a Bachelors's in Music. She then received her teaching certificate at the University of St. Thomas here in Houston. Ms. Cantu is a member of TMEA and TBA and plays trumpet in the Sugarland Wind Ensemble. Aside from her musical talents, Ms. Cantu has run 7 half marathons and countless 5K and 10K events.
Dominique Lousteau - Percussion Instructor
Dominique Lousteau is a percussion instructor and arranger from Luling, Louisiana. Dominique received his bachelor's degree in Mathematics from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where he was a section leader for the Pride of Acadiana Drumline.
Spending many years within the marching arts activity, Dominique performed in the front ensembles for the Louisiana Stars Drum and Bugle Corps, Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps, Elite Independent Percussion, and Monarch Independent Percussion.
Dominique now works within the activity as an educator and percussion arranger. He has had the pleasure of teaching several programs such as the Louisiana Stars Drum and Bugle Corps, The Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps, Lafayette High School, Central Lafourche High School, Brother Martin High School, and St. Martin Independent. Dominique arranges percussion for Fontainebleau High School and Tioga High School in Louisiana.
In his spare time, Dominique teaches high school mathematics and private percussion lessons.
Email Mr. Lousteau at dlousteau98@gmail.com
Kelsey Hernandez - Color Guard Director
Kelsey’s love of the marching arts started at a very early age. Being the daughter of color guard instructors, her passion for color guard was deeply rooted. She began her marching career in 2005 with the Colt Cadets. As she grew older, she moved up to Jersey Surf and from there to the Santa Clara Vanguard. Kelsey’s Drum Corps career culminated with the Boston Crusaders in 2017. Kelsey has also gained valuable knowledge of marching winter guard. Her experience includes Central Independent, Ars Nova A, Eclectix Independent, Santa Clara Vanguard Winterguard, Pride of Cincinnati, and Bluecoats Indoor.
Kelsey has taught and consulted with various bands and winter guards including Norman North High School, Purcell High School, Brownsburg High School Marching Band, and Winterguard, Lawrence Township Marching Band and Winterguard, Greenfield-Central Winterguard, Southmoore High School Winterguard, and Franklin Community High School Marching Band and Winterguard. Her drum corps teaching experience includes Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets and Music City Drum Corps where she is a color guard co-caption head.
Kelsey is so excited to be working with the Cy-Fair Marching Band and Color Guard!