MEET THE CONDUCTORS
Music Director & Youth Orchestra Conductor
Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor
Wind Ensemble Conductor
String Orchestra Conductor
Jr. String Orchestra Conductor
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.
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.
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.
Amanda Musser graduated from Texas Christian University in 1975 and began a teaching career in Arlington, Texas that spanned 34 years until her retirement in 2009. During that time the Bailey Junior High Orchestra won numerous awards, including an invitation to perform in Washington DC in 1997, and its selection as the Texas Music Educators Association Honor Orchestra of the state in 1995. Throughout her teaching career, Mrs. Musser worked with more than 30 student teachers from area universities, many from TCU. Many of her former students are orchestra directors in the DFW area and all over the state. In May 2019, Mrs. Musser completed her 10th and final year at TCU as Adjunct Professor of Music Education and Supervisor of Student Teachers. She now spends her time mentoring orchestra teachers for both FWISD and Arlington ISD.
In 2010, she joined the artistic staff of the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra as conductor of the Junior String Orchestra. She is a member of TMEA, TODA, TMAA, a charter member of Mu Omicron and is a frequent judge and clinician throughout Texas and the South.
Finally, in February 2018, Texas Orchestra Directors Association named Mrs. Musser as their 2018 Orchestra Director of the Year, a great honor from her peers! Mrs. Musser resides in Arlington, married to retired band director Steve Musser, and is mother of two grown sons and grandmother to Wesley, Libbey, Hunter, William and Davis. Of all her many jobs in “retirement”, this is her favorite!
