About Keller Central Percussion Ensemble
The Keller Central Percussion Ensemble is a product of Central High School and the Keller Independent School District located in Fort Worth, Texas. The percussion program is directed by Matt Stephens and Jacob Arie, and the Keller Central Band is led by Kevin McNulty, Will Burson, Issac Cardona, and Daniel Hartselle. Students in the Keller Central percussion section participate in marching band, concert band, and a variety of “percussion only” activities throughout each school year ranging from marching percussion competitions in the Fall and Spring to on-stage concerts. Keller Central Percussion has garnered regional recognition through marching and concert festivals, and strong showings during the Texas All-State audition process. The program has cultivated many life-long music learners and has alumni participating in collegiate percussion programs across the country including Alabama, Purdue, Oklahoma, Houston, UT-Arlington, and BYU. In 2023, the group won the small ensemble division of the North Texas Percussion Festival with their performance of Omphalo Centric Lecture by Nigel Westlake. They were gold medalists at the 2022 NTCA Championships, and the WGI Dallas Regional for their performances in the Percussion Scholastic Concert Open classification. In 2019 the percussion ensemble was invited to perform at the Sandy Feldstein National Percussion Festival in Indianapolis, and in 2018 was named a Mark of Excellence Commended Winner by the Foundation for Music Education. In its 20-year history, the percussion program has played a vital role in the success of the Keller Central Band including an appearance at the Texas State Marching Contest, 15 UIL Sweepstakes Awards, multiple TMEA Honor Band Finals, and performances at Bands of America Regionals nationwide.
