DIRECTORS
Chris Thomsen
Director of Bands
Mr. Thomsen is excited to join the Connally Band Pfamily! Growing up in Reno, NV he discovered his love and passion for music and developed his skills on trombone, tuba, and euphonium and studied under Dr. A.G. McGrannahan III. Mr. Thomsen earned his degree in Music at the University of Nevada, Reno and met the love of his life, Kendra.
In 2009, Mr. Thomsen started his teaching career in Manor ISD and has served multiple directorial positions during his tenure, including launching a new high school program in 2018. He was awarded 2020 New Tech Teacher of the Year and 2023 MISD Secondary Fine Arts Teacher of the Year. He is passionate about cultivating young people and building the band culture.
Thomsen is an alumnus of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. He plays bass guitar at his church and has completed 3 half marathons and 6 10k’s. His wife is the APP Administrator at Baylor Scott & White in Round Rock and former Chair of the NCCPA. His son Caleb studies Mechatronics at Texas A&M University and his daughter Kristen studies Health Science at Texas State University.
Mr. Thomsen will also be starting his Master’s Degree in Music Education at Texas State in the fall of 2024 to continue honing his teaching skills and serve his students better. He enjoys cooking, running with his dogs Augie and Sadie, and binging Marvel, Captain America, and Star Wars films.
Stephen Bouma
Assistant Director of Bands
Mr. Bouma is a product of New Mexico, born as the middle child in a set of triplets and grew up in Alamogordo. After graduating high school in 2013, he attended New Mexico State University to pursue his degree in Music Education. As a saxophonist, he held all positions in the top concert bands and jazz bands at NMSU where he performed in San Francisco, Washington DC, Spain, and Paris. Soloistically, he participated in the 2017 North American Saxophone Alliance regional conference and was a 4-time honors recital participant.
After receiving his bachelor's degree, Mr. Bouma taught for three years in the village of
Cloudcroft, NM. Bouma taught general music to grades k-4, 5th-grade beginning band, 6th -grade intermediate band, and 7-12 band, choir, and jazz as the Cloudcroft music director.
After one year of teaching online during the pandemic, he returned to NMSU to pursue a master’s degree in conducting.
Mr. Bouma has worked as the assistant director at Horizon High School in El Paso, TX for the
past two years. With him on staff, Horizon has earned sweepstakes at all marching and jazz
competitions, and his sub-non-varsity band earned excellent ratings at UIL. More than anything, Mr. Bouma believes in motivating students to become well-rounded and positive humans through the discipline of creating music.
When he is not teaching, Mr. Bouma enjoys spending time with his wife Julianne, his son Ryan, and his two dogs Minnie and Charlie. As new “Austinites,” the Bouma family is excited to explore the city, make new friends, and create new memories.
Kristen Hutchins
Assistant Director of Bands
Ms. Hutchins was born on the island of Oahu in Honolulu, HI but grew up in San Antonio, TX as the youngest of a set of twins. She went on to attend Claudia Taylor Johnson High School and was actively involved in sports and band, making Area on Eb Clarinet. In 2019 she marched her first season of DCI with the Guardians DBC on euphonium, and completed her age out in 2021 with The Academy. Additionally, she performed with Rhythmic Force Indoor Percussion in 2021 on rack/bells.
In the fall of 2017 Ms. Hutchins started pursuing a degree in Music Education at Texas State University. During her time at Texas State, she was involved in ensembles such as the Bobcat Marching Band, Bobcat Basketball Band, the Texas State Clarinet Choir, Symphonic Winds, and Wind Symphony. She wrapped up her performing career on bass clarinet in the Texas State Wind Symphony, under the direction of Dr. Caroline Beatty.
Ms. Hutchins has taught as a private lesson teacher in Hays CISD at both the middle and high school level. More recently she taught as a marching technician at Liberty Hill High School in Liberty Hill, TX. During the spring semester of 2022, Ms. Hutchins completed student teaching in Leander ISD and graduated in May.
When not teaching Ms. Hutchins enjoys activities such as rock climbing, paddle boarding, and knitting. She enjoys spending weekends in with her 2 cats, Appa and Cthulhu, and is currently making her way through the popular HBO series Westworld.
Lauren Gonzalez
Director of Percussion
Ms. Gonzalez was born and raised in the Houston area and is the youngest sibling of four. She attended Alvin High School where she was involved in band: making Area in Percussion as well as section leader/Drum Captain. She also participated in sports, Hispanic American Leadership Organization, and was Vice President of the Senior class.
After high school, Ms. Gonzalez attended Texas State University and recently received her degree in Music Education with a concentration in Percussion. While at Texas State, she participated in various ensembles such as Bobcat Marching Band, Percussion Ensemble, Steel Drum Band, Concert Band, Symphonic Winds, and Wind Symphony. During this time, Ms. Gonzalez also performed with Guardians DBC and Vigilante Indoor Percussion.
Ms. Gonzalez was a Front Ensemble technician at Alvin High School in the Summer of 2019 and at Akins Early College High School since the Fall of 2019. She has also taught private lessons for Middle School and High School students in Wimberley ISD and Austin ISD while completing her Student Teaching in Hays CISD.
Outside of teaching, Ms. Gonzalez enjoys watching and playing sports, and spending time with family, friends, and Riko (her pup).
Alejandro Garcia
Colorguard Director
Mr Alejandro Garcia is currently the Director of Colorguards at John B. Connally High School in Austin, TX.
Mr Garcia is a California native coming from the city of El Monte. He has been involved with the colorguard arts since 1997. He attended El Monte High School in El Monte , CA and then moved to Tucson, AZ in 2001 to finish his high school career at Desert View High School in Tucson, AZ. He attended Pima Community College working towards his degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Dance Studies. He then transferred to the University of Arizona education component.
Mr Garcia worked very hard to continue furthering his education in the colorguard arts, aging out with the Mandarins in 2005. He has also performed with many winterguards in the state of Arizona over his career. He is one of the original founding members of the independent world guard, Fenix Independent World.
Mr Garcia resided in the city of Phoenix, AZ where his career took him into the restaurant scene in management. Mr Garcia then moved into the casino industry being a part of the opening team to the Desert Diamond Casino in Glendale, AZ. At the casino he managed their food & beverage dept and then was promoted manager of their retail department.
Mr Garcia has over 10 years of performance/teaching experience in the colorguard arts. He started teaching colorguard right after his drum corps age out year. He has always had a thirst for knowledge which has pushed him to learn from the best. Even after 10 years of teaching he continues to develop more of these relationships with the community to make him an even stronger educator in the arts. With his hard work and dedication he has earned championship titles in the state of Arizona with WGAZ and ABODA. With these titles Mr Garcia then became an ABODA judge including a judge in the WGAZ circuit.
Mr Garcia continues to strive for greatness in everything he does. He teaches his students to value themselves as individuals and how to be proud of their accomplishments. His students are pushed to know the value of teamwork and dedication. Mr Garcia is very excited to be a part of this amazing community and looks forward to making the Connally Band shine with greatness.