Denis Kidwell

Class of 2026

Denis Kidwell was born in 1955 in Galveston, Texas. His dad, a professional trumpet player, started him on trumpet at eight years old while attending Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic School which did not offer a music program. He initially started lessons with Tom Knoflicek, and in the sixth grade attended Lamar Elementary School in the La Marque Independent School District.

In the seventh grade he switched to euphonium which he played the rest of his musical career. Through junior high and high school, he studied with Joyce (Young) Boelsche. Joyce and his ninth grade and senior year band director, Tom Bennett, were his inspiration to pursue a career as a band director.
He entered The University of Houston School of Music in 1973; and throughout the following six years studied euphonium and tuba with William H. (Bill) Rose, trombone with Albert Lube, and trumpet with Jim Austin who were all principal players in the Houston Symphony Orchestra. He was initially a performance major; but after his first four years, he spent the ensuing two years completing his music education degree.

Throughout his six years in college, he taught private lessons at many area schools with students on every brass instrument teaching as many as fifty students weekly. He also worked at Gaido's Seafood Restaurant in Galveston throughout his six years of college, a job he had since his sixteenth birthday. He was initially a busboy, but after eight months was promoted to a waiter. He would later serve as a Matre'd and dining room manager. He continued his job at Gaido's during his first three years of teaching.

Upon graduation, Denis was hired at Westchester Junior High in the Spring Branch Independent School District where he was the assistant band director with Rick Yancey for two years. He then worked at Stratford High School in the same district for three years; one year as assistant, and two years as head director.
In 1984, Denis returned to The University of Houston to earn a Master of Applied Music in Conducting under the tutelage of Eddie Green who he first met in 1979. After completing his master’s degree, Denis was hired as the head band director in La Marque ISD where he filled that position for seven years. The program in La Marque was very weak, having made low UIL ratings the previous years. Under Denis’ leadership and his amazing staff (Dean Beltram, Edward Pagliai, Terry (Poole) Brockway, Lisa (Merriman) Hill, Mary Santarelli, and Kevin Borgfeldt), the La Marque programs improved and earned UIL Sweepstakes awards. Denis was named the LaMarque Independent School District’s "Teacher of the Year" in 1992.

In the fall semester of 1992, Denis was hired as the head band director at Jersey Village High School in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District. He extends his most heartfelt thanks to John Scarecella and Bill Quillen for this opportunity. He stayed in that position until his retirement in December of 2012. The bands at Jersey Village High School experienced enormous success made possible by the work of Tye Ann Payne and her staff at Cook Middle School and his staff at Jersey Village High School (Robert Carlin, Brett Nelson, Jonathan Carr, and many others). During his last nine years at Jersey Village High School he also served as the head orchestra director. Denis’ program took three or four bands to UIL every year; and as orchestra director, he took a varsity full, varsity strings, non-varsity strings, and sub non-varsity strings to UIL contest without an assistant. His first year as orchestra director there were initially twelve members, but by the third week there were forty-two students. When he retired in December of 2012, the orchestra program had 138 members in one class. The last five years at Jersey Village High School he was also the National Honor Society sponsor.

During his tenure as a band director, Denis endured sixteen major surgeries, was an avid saltwater fisherman, gardener, and lived at a mission, "The Sojourner," in Fulshear, Texas for three years, and continued to teach private lessons. He typically did one hour and a half long individual sectional rehearsals with his band and orchestra students, often until 9:30 PM. Throughout his career he had many student teachers and observers, and he was always committed to mentoring young teachers.

Since retirement, Denis has worked as a clinician and consultant in over fifty schools and currently works five or six days per week. He wakes up by 4:30 AM daily (including weekends) and often does not get home until after 6:30 PM. He is grateful to have the opportunity to work with so many wonderful programs, and he considers it a privilege.

He would be remiss if he did not thank the many people who have shaped his career: his parents, Tom Knoflicek, Joyce Boelsche, Tom Bennett, Eddie Green, Jack Greenberg, Rick Yancey, John Scarcella, Bill Quillen, Tye Ann Payne, Edward Pagliai, Dean Beltram, Greg Goodman, and so many others. Tom Bennett and Eddie Green transformed Denis' teaching to a higher level. Tom remains a very dear friend, and Eddie Green remained a close friend for thirty-five years after completing his master's degree. They talked almost every morning between 5:00 AM and 6:00 AM and discussed teaching, pedagogy, breathing, articulation, and every aspect of individual and ensemble performance. In 2016, he married Julio Prato and cherishes his companionship and their time together through his retirement.

Denis always taught whoever walked into his class, and he regarded every student as a gift who had something wonderful to offer the program. He was inclusive of all students, and he lived by the premise that "the students in this program are more important to me than the program.”

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