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Percussion Set
BPS Instructor - David 2024 COLOR

mr LACLAIR

master instructor

education:

  • Master of Percussion Performance
    Indiana University of Pennsylvania

  • Bachelor of Music Education

  • Stephen F. Austin State University

about mr LACLAIR

David LaClair currently teaches percussion and jazz at Los Fresnos High School. He has a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Stephen F. Austin State University and a Master of Percussion Performance degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Mr. LaClair started his teaching career at Crystal City High School. During his time there, he built a jazz program from scratch, was part of a state finalist marching band team, and taught several All Region, All Area, and All State musicians. Since arriving at Los Fresnos High School, Mr. LaClair has helped grow the percussion studio to statewide prominence. He has taught dozens of All Region, All Area, and All State percussionists. In 2018, Mr. LaClair and his colleague Patrick Anderson, alongside their students, gave a percussion pedagogy clinic at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention in San Antonio. More recently, the Los Fresnos High School Percussion Ensemble was awarded first place at several contests in the Texas Educational Colorguard Association. In addition to his work as a percussion teacher, David has expanded the Los Fresnos High School jazz program to three jazz bands. LFHS students are consistently chosen for TMEA All Region, Area, and State Jazz. The Los Fresnos High School Jazz Orchestra has won the Texas A&M Kingsville Jazz Festival, the Longhorn Jazz Festival (at UT Austin), the Rio Grande Valley Jazz Festival, and was named a National Winner in the Foundation for Music Education’s National Jazz Honors. The LFHSJO served as a demonstration group for a jazz clinic at the Texas Bandmasters Association Convention in San Antonio in July of 2024, and they also have the honor of being chosen as the current Texas Music Educators Association Invited Jazz Ensemble. They will perform a feature concert at the TMEA Convention in February 2025. David is married to his beautiful wife Kristi who is a proud educator at Los Fresnos High School and Texas Southmost College. Their children Marco, Evelyn, and William attend Los Fresnos CISD schools and stay busy with music and sports.

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