Meet the Directors
David McGrath
David J. McGrath has directed high school bands the past thirty years in Michigan and Georgia. He holds a BA from DePauw University and an MA from Eastern Michigan University. He is currently the Director Bands at Klein Cain High School (the newest high school in the Klein, ISD), located in Tomball, Texas. Mr. McGrath is also in his second year of serving as the Program Coordinator for The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps.
Concert Ensembles under his direction have received numerous honors including: invitations and performances for several regional and national concert festivals and clinics (including the 2010 Midwest Clinic, the 2000, 2006 and 2007 Bands of America National Concert Band Festival, and many state music association performances in both Michigan and Georgia). The Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Wind Ensemble was honored to perform an hour-long concert for President Bill Clinton (1996). Concert ensembles under Mr. McGrath’s direction have received straight superior ratings at state sponsored evaluations for 26 consecutive years.
Marching Bands under his direction have also received many honors which include: eleven appearances at the Michigan state marching band championships (capturing nine state championships); being consistent finalists at Bands of America events (the Lakeland High School Marching Band was named the 1992 BOA Class AA Toledo Regional Champion, the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Marching Band was named the 1999 BOA Class AAA and Grand National Champion, the Carlton J. Kell High School Marching Band was a ten-time BOA Regional and Super-Regional finalist, and was named the 2010 BOA Jacksonville Regional Champion and 2010 BOA Akron Regional Champion). Most recently, the Kennesaw Mountain High School Marching Band was named the 2015 Jacksonville, Alabama Regional Champion, and the 2012 and 2014 BOA Class AAA National Champion (selected as a Grand National Championship Finalist Band both of those years).
Mr. McGrath is a six-time recipient of the National Band Association Citation of Excellence, and has been named a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction. He is very active as a concert band, marching band, and drum-corps adjudicator and clinician. He has judged finals at the Bands of America Grand National Championships, DCI World Championships, the Japan Marching Band Championships, and served on the DCI Judge Liaison team (during the 2013 season). He is a member of Phi Beta Mu, the GMEA and the MENC.
He and his wife, Kimberley, have two wonderful sons – Nathaniel, and Logan (ages 19 and 17).
Kelsey Bradberry
Kelsey Bradberry is delighted to be joining the Klein Cain High School band family as the Associate Director of Bands. A graduate of Georgia State University and Boston University, she holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education, and a Masters in Music Education, respectively. While at Georgia State University, Ms. Bradberry participated in multiple ensembles including: the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, the Wind Orchestra, The university Orchestra, chamber ensembles, and Clarinet Choir. She also participated in the Georgia State University Marching Band and was the clarinet section leader during the marching band’s inaugural year.
In addition to being an active private lesson teacher, Ms. Bradberry has worked with multiple nationallyrecognized band programs across the metro-Atlanta area including: Kennesaw Mountain High School, Harrison High School, Kell High School, Duluth High School and McEachern High School. She has taught at both the intermediate and high school level. While student teaching at Kennesaw Mountain HS, Ms. Bradberry served as the lead teacher of the concert band, which earned straight “Superior” ratings at the District XII GMEA Large Group Performance Evaluation.
During her tenure at Duluth High School, the concert ensembles under Ms. Bradberry’s direction received straight “Superior" ratings. Under her direction, the Duluth Jazz Band experienced a 200% member increase and was invited to attend the city of Suwanee’s Concert on the Green. Additionally, Ms. Bradberry organized, coordinated, and hosted the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 GMEA District XIII Large Group Performance Evaluations.
Ms. Bradberry’s professional affiliations include the National Association for Music Education, Georgia Music Educators Association, the National Band Association, and the Professional Association of Georgia Educators.
Brian Perez
Brian Perez is currently the Percussion Director for Klein Cain High School in Houston, TX. Brian has been an active educator in the Houston area for the last 16 years, including Dekaney HS, The Woodlands HS, The Woodlands College Park HS, Clear Brook HS, Pearland HS and Klein HS. He has also served as the Associate Director of Bands / Marching Band Director of the Nimitz HS band (2010-2012). Brian received his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from the University of Houston.
Brian has been on the percussion staff at several top drum corps. Currently, he is on staff with The Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps. Perez has also been on staff with The Cadets (2012-16), Santa Clara Vanguard (2005), Cavaliers (2006-09) and Madison Scouts (2010-11). He has also taught WGI indoor groups such as Clear Brook High School, working alongside Christopher Retschulte as the 2005 Winter Guard International Open Class Competition.
Perez was a member of the Santa Clara Vanguard tenor line from 2000-2004 under the instruction of the legendary team Ralph Hardimon, Glen Crosby, Jim Casella, and Murray Gusseck. There he served as the section leader for all five years and was a member of the instructional staff in 2005. Brian was a member of the 2001 Texas All-State Band, performed in Superbowl XXXVIII in 2004 with artists such as Jessica Simpson and also received the honor of the first place tenor individual award at Percussive Arts Society International Convention in 1999.
Brian currently resides in The Woodlands, TX, with his wife Joni and three cats, Buddy, Ditto, and Gizmo. He is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Texas Music Educators Association, and Percussive Arts Society
Amy Tomsa
Amy Tomsa was born and raised in Kennesaw, Georgia and has been involved in the pageantry arts since she was a child. Amy has been a performer, instructor, and designer for over 20 years. As a performer, she appeared with Sprayberry High School, Kennesaw Mountain High School (2005 WGI Open Class World Champions), Phantom Regiment Winter Guard, and Juxtaposition Winter Guard. She also performed with the Phantom Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps in 2007 and in 2008 when the corps won the DCI World Championships.
Amy found a love for color guard at a young age and wanted to share her passion with other young performers after graduating high school. She has had the privilege to work with numerous programs including, Colts Drum & Bugle Corps, Milton HS (GA), Madison Central HS (KY), P.L. Dunbar HS (KY), Kennesaw Mountain HS (GA) and most recently at Klein Collins HS in Spring, Texas. Teaching and inspiring a love for the pageantry arts is one of Amy’s greatest passions. She shares this passion with her husband, Mathew, who is the color guard director at Klein Collins High School. They have a young daughter that brings much joy, laughter, and light to their lives! They reside in Spring, Texas with their fur-children, Bella, Harley and Merlin.
When she is not teaching, Amy enjoys creating and designing whatever she puts her mind to. In the past, Amy ran a successful bridal store and worked with some of the top bridal designers in the industry. Inspiring enthusiasm and a belief that anything is possible with the proper mindset is a goal that Amy continues to instill in her students and pursue for herself in her everyday life. Amy looks forward to leading the Klein Cain Color Guard with some of the best music educators and administration around!