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Depoali MS Band Director: Daniel Barthel
Daniel Barthel has been teaching band in the Reno area since 2004. He has taught at Depoali Middle School since it opened in 2009 and since that time, the Depoali band program has experienced consistent participation and success. The program serves around 200 students every year, offering jazz band, concert bands, colorguard, drumline, percussion ensemble and other chamber ensembles. Depoali bands have consistently earned Superior Ratings in Concert Band Festivals in the Northern Nevada and Northern California areas. Barthel is also active in the band community, serving as the Washoe County School District Honor Band Coordinator. He has also served as the NMEA President, Zone Representative, and MS All-State Band Coordinator. In 2018, he was selected by NMEA as the Nevada Music Educator of the Year. In 2022, he was selected as a "Greater Heart of Washoe County School District" award recipient. He also co-directs the Lake Tahoe Music Camp every summer along with his wife, Amy. Barthel attended the University of Nevada, Reno earning bachelor and master's degrees in music education. Barthel has two children, is a Reno native, and a member of Phi Mu Alpha Men's Music Fraternity and the National Association for Music Education.
2023-2024 School Year Information
Band Staff
- Kyle Pearson, Student Intern (Fall Semester)
- Dinadan Gurney, Woodwind Instructor
- Katharine May, High Brass Instructor
- Sean Sady, Low Brass Instructor
- Kyle Zive & Sierra Applby, Percussion Instructors
Colorguard Staff
- Lindsey Horan, Colorguard Head Coach
- Cedar Culley, Colorguard Tech & Choreographer
- Lily Houghton, Colorguard Tech & Choreographer
Awards & Accomplishments
- Around 215 students in the program with around 281 class enrollments
- Folsom Jazz Festival 2024: two bands competed. Jazz 8 took 2nd place out of 10 middle school bands.
- Reno Jazz Orchestra 'Jazz in the Schools' Participant with two jazz bands
- WCSD Honor Jazz Band: 6 students accepted from Depoali
- WCSD Honor Bands: 21 students accepted from Depoali
- Nevada All State MS Band: 5 Depoali students selected
- Solo & Ensemble: around 25 students participated
- Winterguard: competed in 3 local competitions (received a 3rd place and 2nd place with the Guard competing in the HS division)
- WCSD Band Festival: Advanced Band recevied Suerior ratings in performance and Superior in sight-reading. Intermediate Band Received Superior ratings in performance and in sight-reading.
- Trips: 6th Grade attended Fly High. Intermediate attended a Clinic at UNR and then visited Cocounut Bowl. Advanced made our annual trip to Disneyland.
2022-2023 School Year Information
Band Staff
- Darian Larsen, Student Intern (Fall Semester)
- Aliyah Saldarriaga, Woodwind Instructor
- Jef Derderian, High Brass Instructor
- Sean Sady, Low Brass Instructor
- Kyle Zive, Percussion Instructor
Drumline & Colorguard Staff
- Kyle Zive, Front Ensemble & Full Rehearsal Director
- Nathan Tilley, Battery Tech
- Alen Woo, Battery Tech
- Sierra Applebee, Front Ensemble Tech
- Lindsey Horan, Colorguard Tech & Choreographer
- Matthew Ortega, Colorguard Tech & Choreographer
Awards & Accomplishments
- Around 200 students in the program with around 240 class enrollments
- Folsom Jazz Festival 2023: two bands competed, Jazz 8 took 4th place out of 10 middle school bands
- Reno Jazz Orchestra 'Jazz in the Schools' Participant with two jazz bands
- WCSD Honor Band: 31 students accepted from Depoali
- Nevada All State MS Band: 7 Depoali students selected
- Solo & Ensemble: around 30 students participated
- Drumline & Winterguard: competed in 4 local competitions (received first place with the Guard competing in the HS division, drumline first in MS marching division)
- Reno Jazz Festival 2023: participant with two bands
- WCSD Band Festival: Advanced Band recevied Excellent ratings in performance and Superior in sight reading. Intermediate Band Received Superior ratings in performance and sight reading.
2021-2022 School Year Information
Band Staff
- Ryan Stuart, Woodwind Instructor
- Nathan Tilley, Brass Instructor
- Sean Sady, Low Brass Instructor
- Casey Smith, Brass/Jazz Instructor & Student Intern (Spring Semester)
- Kyle Zive, Percussion Instructor
Drumline & Colorguard Staff
- Kyle Zive, Front Ensemble & Full Rehearsal Director
- Casey Smith, Drill Writer & Visual Coordinator
- Nathan Tilley, Battery Tech
- Alen Woo, Battery Tech
- Lindsey Horan, Colorguard Tech & Choreographer
- Matthew Ortega, Colorguard Tech & Choreographer
Awards & Accomplishments
- Around 200 students in the program with around 240 class enrollments (Depoali's enrollment shrunk this year again due to rezoning. However, the percent of students in band has gone up)
- Reno Jazz Orchestra 'Jazz in the Schools' Participant with two jazz bands
- WCSD Honor Band: 29 students accepted from Depoali
- Nevada All State MS Band: 6 Depoali students selected
- NMEA Solo & Ensemble: around 30 students participated
- We ran a combined Drumline & Colorguard who competed in 5 local competitions (received first place!)
- WCSD Band Festival: both the Intermediate & Advanced Bands received unanimous Superior ratings
2020-2021 School Year Information
Band Staff
- Josh Thomas, Student Intern (Fall Semester)
- Mary Ann Lazzari, WCSD Music Staff
- Chris Smeltzer, WCSD Music Staff
- Casey Smith, Brass Instructor
- Kyle Zive, Percussion Instructor
Drumline & Colorguard Staff
- Kyle Zive, Front Ensemble & Full Rehearsal Director
- Casey Smith, Drill Writer & Visual Coordinator
- Nathan Tilley, Battery Tech
- Alen Woo, Battery Tech
- Kaylee Allen, Colorguard Tech & Choreographer
- Andie Scarborough, Colorguard Tech & Choreographer
Awards & Accomplishments
- Around 240 students in the program with around 275 class enrollments (Depoali's Enrollment shrunk this year due to Herz MS Opening and the Pandemic).
- About 70 of the students are Full Distance Learners
- Reno Jazz Orchestra 'Jazz in the Schools' Virtual Event Participant
- Nevada All State MS Virtual Band: 6 Depoali students selected
- NMEA Virtual Solo & Ensemble: 15 students participated
- The Advanced Band put together a virtual performance of a piece called 'Wild!' by Depoali Alumnus Kurtis Bertauche. Click here for the video of the piece 'Wild' performed by the Depoali Advanced Band
- We ran a Spring Drumline & Colorguard with 22 members
- We held Spring Concerts for 6th Grade, Intermediate and Advanced Bands!
2019-2020 School Year Information
Band Staff
- Chris Smeltzer, assistant director
- Brandon Dodge, percussion
- Nathan Myers, woodwinds
- Casey Smith, brass
- Kyle Zive, percussion
Winterguard Staff- Javier Sosa, head coach
- Kaylee Allen
- Andie Scarbrough
Awards & Accomplishments
- Around 275 students in the program with over 330 class enrollments.
- 6th Grade Honor Band: 20 Depoali students selected
- 7th/8th Grade Honor Band: 18 Depoali students accepted
- MS Honor Jazz Band: 7 Depoali students accepted
- Concert Band Festival: Both Intermediate and Advanced Band received unanimous Superior ratings in performance!
- NMEA Nevada All State MS Band: 4 students accepted (Event cancelled due to COVID-19)
- Winterguard: This was our second year competing in WGI with a trip to the Union City Regional, our in-town competition were cancelled due to COVID-19
- Reno Jazz Festival 2020: event cancelled due to COVID-19
2018-2019 School Year Information
Band Staff
- Quinal Skinner, student intern (Spring Semester)
- Nathan Myers, woodwinds
- Steve Beame, brass and jazz
- Jason Owens, jazz
Winterguard Staff- Kaylee Allen
- Kendall Welling
- Mariah Williams
- Andie Scarbrough
- Eleda Schmidt
Awards & Accomplishments
- Around 300 students in the program with over 325 class enrollments.
- 6th Grade Honor Band: 20 Depoali students selected
- 7th/8th Grade Honor Band: 14 Depoali students accepted
- MS Honor Jazz Band: 5 Depoali students accepted
- Concert Band Festival: Both Intermediate and Advanced Band received unanimous Superior ratings in performance!
- NMEA Nevada All State MS Band: 6 students accepted
- Winterguard: Competed in Scholastic A Division against High Schools and earned third place out of 9 Guards! This was also our first year competiting in WGI with a trip to the Union City Regional (we took 4th place there).
- Reno Jazz Festival 2019: Jazz I received straight Excellent ratings and Jazz II received straight Good ratings
2016-2017 School Year
Band Staff
-Rachael Cowell, Student Intern
& Jazz
-Hank Currey, Jazz & Brass
-Zachary Curtis, Brass
-Jennifer Day, Woodwinds
-Jason Owens, Jazz Tutor
-Dominick Van Orman, Brass
-Blair Williams, Percussion
Winterguard Staff
-Kaylee Allen
-Allison Cook
-Kendall Welling
-Mariah Williams
-Eleda Schmidt
-Javier Sosa
Awards & Accomplishments
-Around 300 students in the program with over 350 class enrollments.
-Concert Band Festival: Intermediate and Advanced Band earner unanimous Superior ratings from the adjudicators!
-6th Grade Honor Band: 16 Depoali students selected
-7th/8th Grade Honor Band: 24 Depoali students accepted
-NMEA All State MS Band: 8 students accepted
-Winterguard: JV Won MS Division, Varsity got 2nd place in HS Division (and won all other competitions!)
-Jazz Bands: Jazz 2 received two Superior and an Excellent rating at Reno Jazz Fest. Jazz 1 received unanimous Superior rating at Reno Jazz Fest. These are the highest scores for any Depoali Jazz Band at Reno Jazz! We also earned top middle school trumpet player out of the entire festival.
2015-2016 School Year
Band Staff:
-Hank Currey, Jazz and Brass
-Jennifer Day, Woodwinds
-Blair Williams, Percussion
Drumline Staff:
-Blair Williams
-Greyson Boydstun
-Ryan Salivar
-Layla BenBrahim
-Josh Dunlap
Winterguard Staff:
-Jackie Barrera
-Kendall Welling
-Mariah Williams
-Allison Cook
-Eleda Schmidt
-Kaylee Allen
Awards & Accomplishments:
-Over 290 students in the program with over 350 enrollments.
-Concert Band Festival: Intermediate Band earned an Excellent rating and Advanced Band earned a Superior rating
-6th Grade Honor Band: 17 students accepted
-7th/8th Grade Honor Band: 17 students accepted
-NMEA All State Band: 6 students accepted
-Honor Jazz Band: 5 students accepted
-Drumline: Had an excellent season and won Northern Nevada Champion for 4th Consecutive year!
-Winterguard: First year with two Guards! JV Guard won Northern Nevada Champion in the Middle School Division. The Varsity Guard wrapped up an undefeated season by winning Northern Nevada Champion in the High School Scholastic Regional A Division!
-The Jazz Bands had an excellent year with 50 students in the Jazz Program. Both Jazz I and II earned Excellent ratings at the Reno Jazz Festival.
-Events the Depoali Band program participated in: Jazz in the Schools, NMEA Solo & Ensemble, UNR Day of Percussion
