Conductors & Staff | Fort Worth Youth Orchestra

MEET THE CONDUCTORS

Germán Gutiérrez

Music Director & Youth Orchestra Conductor

Brian Coatney

Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor

Samuel Branch

String Orchestra Conductor

Jennifer Martin

Jr. String Orchestra Conductor

Brian Youngblood

Wind Ensemble Conductor

Christine Cumberledge

Jr. Wind Ensemble Conductor

Ken Ebo

Jazz Ensemble Director

Germán Gutiérrez has served as Music Director of the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra (FWYO) since 2000. He has served as Director of Orchestras and Professor of Orchestral Studies at Texas Christian University (TCU) as well as Director of TCU’s Latin American Music Center and biennial Latin American Music Festival since 1996. Dr. Gutiérrez is a frequent guest conductor of professional orchestras in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Recent invitations include the Qingdao Cosmopolitan Music Festival in China, the Fort Worth Symphony, the Shanghai Conservatory Symphony, the Alcalá de Henares Symphony Orchestra, in Spain; the Lebanon National Philharmonic and the Orquesta Filarmónica of Bogotá, Colombia. Maestro Gutiérrez has also appeared with the Argentina, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Perú and Cuba National Symphonies. Other orchestras include the Hu Bei State Symphony of China, the Free State Symphony Orchestra of South Africa. Shanghai Symphony (China), Xalapa and San Luis Potosí in Mexico, the Auckland Philharmonic (New Zealand), Sinfónica del Teatro Municipal de Rio de Janeiro, and Porto Alegre Symphony Orchestra (Brazil), among others. Under his baton the TCU Symphony and the FWYO have achieved exceptional levels of recognition in Fort Worth and abroad, including second place in the nationwide Youth Orchestra division of The American Prize in 2021. Both groups have traveled on numerous international tours, obtaining enthusiastic reviews, including repeat invitations as the featured orchestra to engagements such as the Ibero-American Music Festival in Puerto Rico and the Texas Music Educators Association convention in San Antonio. With the TCU Symphony, Maestro Gutiérrez has also conducted the world premieres of more than fifty contemporary works. In 2017, Maestro Gutiérrez led the FWYO on a tour of Europe that included performances at Salzburg’s Mozarteum, Eisenstadt’s Esterházy Palace in Austria, and a concert in Prague. Maestro Gutiérrez holds Músico Bachiller and Maestro en Música degrees from the Tolima Conservatory in Colombia. He also received a master’s degree from Illinois State University and a doctoral degree from the Univ. of Northern Colorado.

Brian Coatney, born in Arlington, Texas, began studying the cello privately at a young age of five. He continued his music studies throughout high school participating in Orchestra as well as playing percussion in numerous ensembles. After graduating from high school, Coatney pursued his music career at Northwestern State Univ., where he graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in music education. In 2003, Coatney earned a Masters in Orchestral Conducting at James Madison University where he had the opportunity to study with Dr. Robert McCashin. Mr. Coatney joined the Klein High School fine arts program in 2003 as the assistant Orchestra Director as well as conducted the Houston Youth Symphony Sinfonietta Orchestra. Mr. Coatney joined the Plano Senior High School fine arts team in 2007 as the Director of Orchestral Studies. During his tenure, the Plano Senior Orchestra continued its long tradition of success earning multiple Sweepstakes awards at UIL, Best in Class awards at national music competitions, and performed at the prestigious Mid-West International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago. The Plano Senior High Symphony Orchestra was chosen as the Honor Full Orchestra three times under Coatney’s direction in 2008, 2011 and most recently, 2014. In 2020, Coatney joined the Wylie ISD fine arts team as the director of orchestras at Wylie High School. The program has only been in existence for three years and Coatney is excited about the program growing and accomplishing performances that inspire audiences. Coatney was recognized in 2008 with the TexASTA Marjorie Keller Young Teacher of the Year award. He is a proud member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Mu Omicron, and the professional music fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha.

Samuel Ontiveros Branch is an Associate Director of Orchestras at Martin High School in Arlington, TX. Since 2006 he has also served as director of the String Orchestra at the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra. Prior to his position at Martin he served as the Head Orchestra Director at Gunn Junior High School in Arlington, TX for 13 years. Mr. Branch is a graduate of Texas Christian University, from which he earned a Bachelor of Music Education Cum Laude with Departmental Honors. With violin as his primary instrument, he studied conducting under the direction of Dr. Germán Gutiérrez and violin under the direction of Dr. Curt Thompson. Mr. Branch began his teaching career in 2001, and his groups consistently receive Sweepstakes ratings at UIL music contests and superior ratings at spring festivals. Three times at different festivals his groups have earned Best in Class and Grand Champion awards. Since arriving at Martin High School, the Martin Symphony Orchestra has twice been named the TMEA Honor Full Orchestra, the highest honor bestowed on any music education program in Texas. The Martin Symphony has also performed at the Midwest Clinic and Conference in Chicago, Illinois, the American Strings Teacher Association conference in Orlando, Florida, and as part of the Vox Anima music series in London, England. Mr. Branch is an active member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Orchestra Directors Association, and Mu Phi Epsilon. He is also on staff at The University of Texas at Arlington Summer Strings Camp and the Sam Houston State University Orchestra Summer Camp. Fluent in Spanish, Mr. Branch was born in Mexico City, Mexico and immigrated to the United States at the age of five and began studying violin at the age of 10. When not conducting or teaching, Mr. Branch enjoys golf, road biking, and spending time with his family.

Jennifer Martin brings an extraordinary combination of experience, leadership, and passion for music education. She currently serves as the Orchestra/Mariachi Specialist for Fort Worth ISD and is President-Elect of the Texas Music Educators Association - one of the highest honors in our state's music education community. Her past roles include Head Orchestra Director at Boles Junior High (Arlington ISD) and Director of Orchestras for Midway ISD in Waco, TX. A graduate of Baylor University (Bachelor of Music Education) and Stephen F. Austin (Master of Educational Leadership), Mrs. Martin's ensembles have consistently earned UIL Sweepstakes Awards and Best-in-Class honors at festivals across DFW. Her orchestras have ranked among the state's top ten in the TMEA State Honor Orchestra competition at both the junior high and high school levels. She's also in high demand as a clinician and adjudicator throughout Texas. Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Martin is a member of the viola section of the Waco Symphony Orchestra, and has shared the stage with Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, and more. She and her husband, Jimmy, enjoy supporting their two children in their musical and athletic endeavors throughout the metroplex.

Brian Youngblood is the Associate Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Music at Texas Christian University (TCU), is a frequent clinician and adjudicator in Texas and the Southwest, and enjoys working as a clinician with bands from every age level. He received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Abilene Christian University, his Master of Percussion Performance degree from East Texas State University, and is a product of public school music education in the state of Texas. In 1999, he joined the faculty at TCU, where he was Director of the TCU Horned Frog Marching Band for two decades. He also led the TCU Symphonic Band to the group’s first selection and performance at a regional College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Conference. Mr. Youngblood has also assisted the TCU Concert Ensembles and Athletic Bands, taught music education classes and music technology classes, and supervised student teachers. Before coming to TCU, Mr. Youngblood taught in Texas public schools for twelve years, including at L.D. Bell High School in Hurst and at Brewer High School in White Settlement. Mr. Youngblood is a leading drill designer, arranger, and program coordinator for marching bands, regularly consulting with and writing shows for high school and university bands across the nation. His shows have won many state championships and a Bands of America National Championship, and have placed in the finals of numerous competitions.

Christine Cumberledge is the Director of Visual and Performing Arts for Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD. Prior to this role, she served as the Director of Bands at Central Junior High, where her ensembles earned numerous accolades. Under her leadership, the Central Junior High Band was invited to perform at the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) twice: first as the 2020 Invited Performing Band, and again as the TMEA Honor Band in 2006. In 2019, her band performed at the prestigious Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, and in 2023, they were selected to perform at the Music For All National Festival in Indianapolis. Mrs. Cumberledge’s bands have earned the Foundation for Music Education’s Mark of Excellence National Award and the John Philip Sousa Sudler Silver Cup, a prestigious honor recognizing outstanding middle school band programs nationwide. Before her time at Central Junior High, Mrs. Cumberledge was the Assistant Director of Bands at Bedford Junior High, where she worked alongside Mr. Steve Madsen to earn the TMEA 2000 Honor Band distinction. She also contributed to the L.D. Bell High School Band’s performance at the 1999 Midwest Clinic under the direction of Joseph Grzybowski. Mrs. Cumberledge has been recognized for her excellence in music education, being named a national semi-finalist for the Music Educator Grammy in both 2022 and 2023. She was also named Music & Arts National Educator of the Year in 2017. Over the course of her career, she has been honored as Teacher of the Year for both her school and district and was recognized as the 2017-2018 Continuous Improvement Demonstration Room for Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD. She holds a Master of Education in Administration from Lamar University and a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of North Texas. Mrs. Cumberledge is an active member of Phi Beta Mu, the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Bandmasters Association, the Texas Music Adjudicators Association, and Sigma Alpha Iota. She is also a sought-after clinician and adjudicator across the state and regularly presents to music educators at conferences nationwide.

Ken Ebo is recently retired from serving as the Music Placement Director for the US Marine Music Program in the Southwestern United States. He is the former head of the Instrumental Division at the Naval School of Music in Virginia Beach where he also served as trombone faculty and jazz improvisation instructor. He was the lead trombonist and musical director of the Marine Corps Jazz Orchestra from '09 – '21. Ken is an active clinician, performer, educator, and adjudicator with degrees from Indiana University and the University of South Carolina. Ken is currently the director of the Four O’Clock Lab Band at the University of North Texas, where he is also completing his doctoral studies. As a clinician and guest artist, Ken has traveled to multiple programs across the country for presentations and performances to students of all levels. He is a recipient of the Musician of the Year Award for the U.S. Marine Corps and has presented clinics and performed nationwide with the Marine Corps Jazz Orchestra in locations such as Monterey Jazz Festival, Lincoln Center, Lakeside Jazz Festival, Interlochen, and Eau Claire Jazz Festival. His compositions and arrangements have been featured as part of USMC national recruiting efforts and have been performed by numerous ensembles. He is the author of Common Sense for Comeback Chops, published by Mountain Peak Music. Ken has performed with many artists in both military and civilian settings including Johnny Mathis, Natalie Cole, and Frank Sinatra, Jr., among others. Ken also directs his own jazz orchestra in an annual series of benefit concerts for Toys for Tots in Baltimore, MD, now in its 21st season, including 8 years of annual concerts also held in Virginia Beach. A resident of Fort Worth, TX, Ken enjoys time with his wife, also a professional musician, and their two kids (one HS senior and one TCU freshman!) – who all avoid trombone and collectively sing and play trumpet, harp, piano, ukulele, drums, and other instruments at every opportunity!