Paul Brodt - Head Band Director
Email: paul.brodt@fortbendisd.com
Phone: 281 634 3848
Mr. Brodt is starting his 20th year as a Band Director in the State of Texas. He taught for 7 years at Hastings High School where he was the Head Band Director and before that taught 7 years as the Band Director at Youngblood Intermediate. He received his Bachelors of Music Education from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2002. Mr. Brodt was the 21-22 Kempner HS Teacher of the Year.
Mr. Brodt is a woodwind specialist. His primary instrument is saxophone. Mr. Brodt was a 3 year member of the Oklahoma All-State Jazz Band and 1st chair in the Oklahoma All-State Wind Ensemble in 1998. He worked as a Jazz Band Musician on a Carnival Cruise Line Ship out of Miami, Florida from 2002-2003. He toured with a jazz band in Tokyo, Nagasaki, and throughout Japan in 2003. He has also performed in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil and Lisbon, Portugal with the Tallowood Jazz Band the Messengers.
Mr. Brodt has been married to his beautiful wife Cynthia for 18 years. They are the proud parents of a 15 year old boy, Isaac and 8 year old daughter, Autumn.
Steven Dratler- Assistant Band Director
Email: steven.dratler@fortbendisd.com
Phone: 281 634 9980
Mr. Dratler is very excited to be joining the Kempner High School band program. During the 2021/2022 school year, Mr. Dratler served as the assistant band director at Lamar Consolidated High School. Prior to his time at Lamar, he student taught at Clements High School and Fort Settlement Middle School in Fort Bend ISD. He has also had the privilege to be a marching instructor for several Houston area schools such as Klein Oak High School, Brazoswood High School, and Splendora High School. He also is a proud alumnus of the Troopers, and Phantom Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps, and currently serves on the brass staff of the Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps.
Steven is a graduate of Sam Houston State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education. He studied with Mr. Ben Osborne, Mr. John McCroskey, and Dr. Matthew McInturf. During his time at SHSU, he was a member of the Bearkat Marching Band, Men's Choir, Symphonic Band, and the Wind Ensemble.
His professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
In his free time, he enjoys running marathons and playing with his cats.
Cameron Robillard - Director of Percussion
cameron.robillard@fortbendisd.com
Mr. Robillard is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education. During his time at LSU, he marched and served as the drumline captain of The Golden Band from Tigerland, was the principal percussionist of the Symphonic Winds, performed with the LSU Percussion Ensemble “Hamiruge”, toured the country with the LSU Wind Ensemble, and played drum set in the LSU Lab Band and Bishop Jazz Combo. Mr. Robillard marched snare drum at Louisiana Stars in 2017, and was then selected as the center snare/section leader in 2019.
During his time at LSU, Mr. Robillard was under the tutelage of Dr. Brett Dietz, Stanton Moore, and Shawn Galvin. Cameron has been recorded on two albums: Retrospections by PAS Hall of Fame member and Principal Percussionist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Stanley Leonard and Beacons of Light by the composer and educator Chad Heiny.
Mr. Robillard was an active staff member at St. Martin Independent for the 2022 indoor season when the group placed 3rd in the Independent A classification at WGI Finals in Dayton, OH. Mr. Robillard was a Percussion Instructor at Dutchtown High School from 2018-2022 where he taught both Fall and Winter marching programs. He also programmed, rehearsed, and conducted multiple concert ensembles during his time at Dutchtown.
In his free time, Cameron enjoys reading, traveling, and riding his bike.
Ashley Yen - Director of Color Guard
Email: Ashley.Yen@fortbendisd.com
Ms. Yen is excited to be joining the Kempner High School Band Staff. She has performed with the Oregon Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps as weapon line Captain, Spirit Independent Open Winter Guard, and Invictus World Color Guard. Before teaching at Kempner Ms. Yen was a color guard technician at Fulshear High School.
In her free time she likes spending time with her family and friends.