The Directors

Mr. Ary previously was associate director at Holliday High School in Holliday, Texas. There, he helped lead the band to a Bands of America (BOA) regional class championship and a performance at the 2002 Midwest Clinic in Chicago. Mr. Ary was most recently assistant band director at Elkins High School in Missouri City. At Brook, he has been a marching specialist and currently directs all four concert bands.

In 1995 and 1996, Mr. Ary marched contrabass bugle with the Nite Express Drum and Bugle Corps from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and then joined the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps from Dubuque, Iowa, in 1998 and 1999. From 2001 to 2004, he served as a member of the brass staff for the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps, based in Bergenfield, New Jersey.

Mike may be reached via email at mary@ccisd.net.

Originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, Mr. Norris holds a master’s degree in music performance from the University of Akron in Ohio, as well as a bachelor’s degree in music performance from Eastern Illinois University. Mr. Norris has studied with several world-renowned educators, including Dr. Larry Snider, Professor Johnny Lee Lane, Dr. Joseph Manfredo, Craig Williams, Bob McKee, Dean Ponseti, and Lee Beddis. While pursuing his music degrees, Mr. Norris was an active educator, arranger, and adjudicator throughout Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. He also performed with numerous professional orchestral groups in the Midwest. A member of the 1996 world champion Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps, Mr. Norris later instructed the University of Akron Marching Zip Drumline and the Canton Bluecoats indoor drumline “Rhythm in Blue.”

Mr. Norris’ teaching credits include four Texas Color Guard Circuit State Championships, two WGI regional championships, and numerous high school percussion awards. He is an active member of the Percussive Arts Society, the Texas Music Educators Association, and is an educational endorser of Promark Drumsticks and Mallets.

Outside of music, Mr. Norris’ hobbies include playing golf and riding motorcycles. His wife Terri is a nurse in Sugar Land, and they have a three-year-old son named Andrew, who is a master drumset player.

Dusty may be reached via email at dnorris1@ccisd.net.

Born and raised in Spring, Texas, assistant band director Jason Andrew Smith holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music. Through his studies he has worked with several phenomenal music educators including Tom Bennett, David Bertman, John Benzer, Noe Marmolejo, Dr. Karen Wylie and Valerie Vidal. As a saxophone player, Mr. Smith specializes in woodwind and jazz pedagogy.

During his time at the University of Houston, Mr. Smith was an active performer at the Moores School of Music. He participated in the wind ensembles, marching band, contemporary music ensemble, and Jazz Orchestra. Mr. Smith also had the unique opportunity to perform with professional recording artists Diane Schurr, Wayne Bergeron, Conrad Herwig, as well as an appearance in the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show. As an educator, Mr. Smith has worked as a lesson teacher and master class instructor in the Spring, Conroe, Houston, and Clear Creek Independent School Districts.

Mr. Smith is an active member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, an organization dedicated to the advancement of music in America, the Texas Music Educators Association, and the Texas Bandmasters Association.

Jason may be reached via email at jsmith4@ccisd.net.