Director of Bands

Kevin Bennett
(480) 813-0051 X2729
District Email

Kevin Bennett is in his fifteenth year teaching at Highland High School within the Gilbert Public School District.  He started as the assistant band director at Highland High School and Highland Junior High School. Mr. Bennett took over as the Director of Bands at Highland High School in the fall of 2006. He received his Bachelor’s of Instrumental Music Education degree from the University of Idaho in 1999. He earned his Master of Education degree from the University of Phoenix in the spring of 2004.  The concert, jazz, and marching bands frequently receive high ratings in Arizona festivals and competes in festivals and competitions all over the Southwest.

Mr. Bennett also cofounded the Highland/ASU Jazz Festival and it is in its 9th year of providing a world class jazz education. The three day festival includes over 45 ensemble participants, 25 master classes from local jazz educators as well as clinics and concerts performed by world class jazz musicians including; Dick Oatts, Jim McNeely, Wayne Bergeron, Andy Martin, Benny Golson, Lewis Nash, Tia Fuller and Ingrid Jensen.. The festival concerts are held in cooperation with the ASU Concert Jazz Band directed by Michael Kocour.

Assistant Director

Jenn Bock
(480) 813-0051 X4421

Jenn Bock is excited to join the Highland High Bands as the Assistant Director this year. She has spent the past 9 years as the Director of Bands at Poston Junior High School in Mesa, Arizona. The Poston Concert Band consistently received highest ratings at both ABODA Area and State Concert Band Festivals and was a featured Honored Performance at both the 2011 and 2017 AMEA State In-service Conference.

Mrs. Bock is passionate about working with young musicians and has served as guest conductor for several local honor bands including the Southern Arizona 7th Grade Honor Band in Tucson in 2016 and the AMEA 7th Grade All State Band in 2017. Mrs. Bock has presented sessions at the AMEA State In-Service Conference on FUNdamentals for young bands and Classroom Management and regularly serves as an adjudicator for ABODA JHS Concert Festivals. Mrs. Bock was honored to be the recipient of KTVK3’s Silver Apple Teacher Award in 2014.

Jenn has served on the ABODA Board as both Secretary and VP of ES/JHS Band Activities. As a flautist Jenn has performed with the Desert Echoes Flute Project and the Arizona Wind Symphony. She has her B.A. in Music Education from Montclair State University, NJ and is currently working towards her Masters in Music Education at Arizona State University.

Performing Arts Department Head

Bill Bitter
Director of Orchestras
(480) 813-0051 X2730

Marching Percussion Instructor

Wardell King

Marching Colorguard Instructor

Victor Rosas

Victor Rosas is returning as a Co-Director of the Color Guard for his 3rd year with the Highland High School Marching Band. Victor Rosas, a Phoenix Native, marched four years of saxophone before joining the Academy Drum and Bugle Corps color guard in 2010. From that inaugural season, Victor has continued to be engaged in his local color guard community, marching the 2011-2012 seasons with the Academy and joining the WGI circuit for the first time with Fenix Independent in 2013-2017. Victor joined The Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps in 2013 and 2014 seasons.

In addition to his performance experience, Victor has designed and choreographed for several high schools in the Valley in Phoenix.

Currently, he is a color guard equipment instructor for his 2nd year with the Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps, and is a color guard technician at Perry High School. Victor is in his 3nd season on staff for the Sun Devil Marching Band Color Guard as well as Fenix Independent A & World Class Winterguard programs.

Tanner Valles

Tanner Valles is returning as a Co-Director of the Color Guard for his 3rd year with the Highland High School Marching Band. Tanner Valles was born in California but grew up in Indiana where he was first exposed to color guard. He graduated from Perry Meridian High School in 2013 and started guard in 2009.

Tanner knew he had to keep color guard in his life forever so his junior year he auditioned for the Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps and marched for two seasons (2012 and 2013), and also marched with the Blue Knights in 2014. After gradation he resided to Tempe, AZ. He attended Arizona State University for his Bachelors in Dance Performance, and has been a part of the ASU Winter Guard program, Fenix Independent (2014-2018).

Tanner began his teaching career his senior year at Pike High School in Indiana. When he moved to Arizona he then branched out to teaching at several schools. He began with Highland High School, Mesa High School, Tempe High School, Perry High School and Gilbert High School. He is also a color guard equipment instructor for his 1st full year for the Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps.

Marching Band Visual Tech

Dan Hoffman

Dan is thrilled to join the Highland High School Marching Band as a visual technician. Born and raised in Syracuse, NY, Dan graduated from the University of Rochester in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in Music with a Minor in Dance. His education is supplemented by ample performance experience, including three seasons as a contra player with the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps and one year as a Collaborator with Evolve Dynamicz, a dance collective based out of Cambridge, MA. As an educator, Dan has been a visual technician for his alma mater West Genesee High School in Camillus, NY, and with Medford High School in Medford, MA, where he most recently served as visual coordinator and drill writer. He currently serves as a visual technician for both the Oregon Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps and for Casa Grande High School in Casa Grande, AZ, and is a drill writer for four bands across the country.

Marching Band Drum Major Tech

Sierra Rogers

Sierra Rogers is a music educator residing in the greater Phoenix area. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music in 2018 at Arizona State University. As an active performer and instructor in Arizona’s marching arts, Sierra has served various music and visual roles at Dobson High School (Mesa, AZ), Desert Edge High School (Goodyear, AZ), Desert Mountain High School (Scottsdale, AZ), and Casa Grande Union High School (Casa Grande, AZ). She was involved with the ASU Sun Devil Marching Band as well as with The Arizona Academy Drum & Bugle Corps. Her experience as a drum corps member includes seven years with The Academy, from 2012-2018, serving in 2017 and 2018 as head drum major. Sierra is also an alumna of Breakthrough Indoor Percussion, where she marched the 2016 season.