Staff

David DuPlessis David DuPlessis
Director of Bands, Director - Aztec Marching Band
(480)752-8888 x80559 		David DuPlessis is the Director of Bands at Corona del Sol High School in Tempe, where he teaches 4 concert bands, 2 jazz bands, and the 180-member Aztec Marching Band. Bands under his direction have consistently earned "superior" and "superior with distinction" ratings at festivals in Arizona, California, and Nevada.

The Corona del Sol High School Music Program was honored as a recipient of the 2013 AEA Special Programs A+ Award, the only music program in the state to earn this distinction. Mr. DuPlessis has served as the Arizona Music Educators Association West Region Governor for eight years, where he oversees auditions and honor music ensemble festivals for 30 high schools. Currently, Mr. DuPlessis serves as the Vice President of High School Band Activities for the Arizona Band and Orchestra Directors Association (ABODA) and also serves as a music and visual judge for ABODA concert and marching events. Mr. DuPlessis is also a staff member for the Arizona Ambassadors of Music, a group that takes the best high school musicians on a musical tour of Europe every 2 years. Mr. DuPlessis has conducted several honor bands in the Tempe community, including the Tempe Youth Band, the Kyrene District Middle School Honor Band, the Tempe Elementary District Middle School Honor Band, and the ASU/MEF Summer Band Camp. Several marching bands around the state have marching band drill and choreography written by Mr. DuPlessis (including Corona del Sol, Catalina Foothills, Deer Valley, Buena, Boulder Creek, Higley, Sahuaro, Skyline, Sahuarita, Cortez, Cienega, Bradshaw Mountain, Centennial, and more).

David is married to Arlie DuPlessis, the Director of Bands at Pueblo Middle School, and they are the proud parents of Alex, who started kindergarten at Paloma this year!
Scott Werner Scott Werner
Director of Percussion, Pit Caption Head
(480)752-8888 x80562 		Scott Werner has taught percussion, world music, guitar, marching band and steel band at Corona del Sol High School since 1990. In 2010 he received the “Martin Luther King Diversity in Education” award from the City of Tempe. Scott has also been nominated for the Tempe Diablos Award, The Governors Arts Award for Education and was a 2016 Grammy Award Quarter Finalist.

Scott Werner received his Bachelors Degree in Percussion Performance from the University of Illinois and his Masters Degree in Percussion Performance from Arizona State University. As a musician, Scott has performed with many national Broadway tours including Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, West Side Story, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Evita, Grease, The Will Rogers Follies, Motown, Sound of Music and Matthew Bourne’s “Swan Lake”. In addition, he has also performed with Wynonna Judd, The Moody Blues, Mannheim Steamroller, Steve Allen, Jodi Benson, The Dallas Brass, John Davidson, Jamie Farr, Jose Feliciano, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Ralph Macchio, Al Martino, Lou Rawls, Dave Samuels, The Side Street Strutters, The Three Irish Tenors, Jerry Vale, Jackie Evako, Johnny Mathis, Weird Al Yankovic, Amy Grant, David Archuleta, Michel W. Smith, Dick Clark, The Temptations, Peabo Bryson, Christopher Cross, Oleta Adams, Richard Kline, Andy Narell, Sally Struthers, Mackenzie Phillips, Joe Piscopo, Prince (hologram) and Mary Wilson (The Supremes). He has also performed as a percussionist with The Symphony of the West Valley, the Tempe Symphonic Wind Ensemble, The Phoenix Symphony and the Arizona Opera Company. He can be heard on the following recordings: THE GOLDEN AGE OF BRASS III, Summit Records, Percussion. Composition #174 for Percussion Ensemble and Constructed Environment, Rhythm Well Done! and A Caribbean Christmas.
Alex Holste Alex Holste
Director, Corona del Sol Orchestras - Associate Director, Corona del Sol Bands - Band Chair, West Region
(480) 752-8888 x80560 		Alexandra Holste is a graduate of Arizona State University where she graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Music Education. Ms. Holste started her teaching career instructing K-6 General Music and has been the Associate Director of Bands at Corona del Sol High School since 2015, where she teaches concert bands, jazz bands, and marching band. Under her direction, the Corona del Sol Symphonic Band earned a rating of Superior with Distinction (Highest possible rating) at Area Concert Festival – the first time in over 20 years. Ms. Holste was also the 2019 recipient of Tempe Union High School’s Inspiration award for her innovative practices and dedication to the field of education. Ms. Holste assumed direction of the Corona del Sol Orchestras in 2021, where she looks forward to continuing and cultivating a tradition of excellence.

In addition to working at Corona, Ms. Holste has a successful private lesson studio. Her flute students are regularly the top of their sections at their respective schools and regularly earn spots in regional and All-State honor bands and orchestras. She is also an adjudicator and clinician for the AMEA Solo/Ensemble Festival, Regional auditions, and All-State auditions. Ms. Holste is a flute section coach for the Phoenix Youth Symphony Winds. In the Spring of 2019, Ms. Holste was invited to conduct and teach a session at the Tau Beta Sigma Western District Convention at Arizona. She is currently serving as the AMEA West Region Band Chair (March 2020-March 2022)

Ms. Holste is a flutist, performing throughout the valley and is currently a member of the Tempe Wind Symphony where she serves as rotating principal and piccolo chairs. She was a featured soloist during. The 2017/2018 season
Roberto Paz Roberto Paz
Drumline Caption Head
 Roberto Paz is a graduate of Arizona State University with a Bachelors of Music Education. Roberto has an extended amount of experience with marching percussion as a former member of The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps and the Concord Blue Devils. Currently, Roberto is the Director of Marching Percussion at Arizona State University where he teaches, writes, and coordinates for them. Roberto is an active clinician and arranger throughout the world as well as the owner of Paz Music which offers online lessons to students all over the world. He is endorsed by Lot Riot, Mapex Drums, Randall May International, Remo Drumheads, and Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets as an artist.
Brandy DuBose Brandy DuBose
Color Guard Caption Head
 Brandy DuBose is in her tenth year as director and choreographer for the Arizona State University Sun Devil Color Guard. Brandy was born and raised in Texas, where she attended Texas State University-San Marcos as a Dance Performance major, and also taught the Bobcat Marching Band Color Guard and Millennia Independent Open Winterguard for 11 years. In Texas, she taught the Seguin High School color guard for 10 years, from 1995-2006. After moving to Arizona in May 2006, Brandy began working with ASU.

DuBose is currently the Director for the World Class Fenix Independent Winterguard, and the Caption Head for the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps from Denver, Colorado. Brandy has served as Caption Head for other organizations such as Tarheel Sun and The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps, as well as a member of the Colorguard staff for the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps. She marched in the Colorguard at Phantom Regiment as well as a member of the Nouveau (IA), Speakeasy (IA) and Ascension (IW) Winterguard programs. In addition to her involvement with ASU, she is currently the Director of Colorguard at Corona del Sol High School, Highland High School and Colorguard Liaison for the WGAZ circuit. DuBose currently resides in Gilbert, Arizona, with her loving family Wardell and Miles King.
Brian Wilson Brian Wilson
Brass Caption Head
 Adams Euphonium artist Brian C. Wilson is an active and highly sought-after clinician and euphonium soloist. Among the most elite euphonium players on the West Coast, Mr. Wilson currently performs as Solo Euphonium in the southwestern-based Salt River Brass, conducted by Patrick Sheridan. Featured as a soloist by Miraphone and Yamaha, Mr. Wilson has also served as principal euphonium in the Arizona Wind Symphony, toured as a soloist throughout Europe with the Arizona Ambassadors of Music, and has performed and recorded with Summit Brass. Mr. Wilson earned both his Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Performance from the Arizona State University. Mr. Wilson also served as graduate assistant at Arizona State University in trombone, euphonium and tuba.

Mr. Wilson has been a music educator since 1999, and has been the Director of Bands of Summit Academy’s H. E. Hendrix Music Program since 2006. His previous teaching experience was with the Kyrene School District. During his years as a music educator he has been an active clinician nationally teaching and conducting Honor Bands, Music Camps, Marching Bands, Universities, and festivals. Mr. Wilson was a founding instructor for the Academy Drum and Bugle Corps, and recently was a featured artist at the International Euphonium and Tuba Festival.