Student Activities

Brownell Band Director, Mr. Aaron Shemas: aaron.shemas@gilroyunified.org

Aaron Shemas joined the GUSD Band Team in fall of 2020 as Director of Bands at Brownell Middle School and Ascension Solorsano Middle School, as well as an Associate Director of Bands at Christopher High School.  

Mr. Shemas is a native of Ohio and graduate of Dublin-Coffman High School in the Columbus Metro. Prior to coming to Gilroy, Mr. Shemas taught in both New Mexico and Texas, producing highly successful ensembles. Bands under Mr. Shemas’ direction have shown exponential growth and  constantly earned superior ratings and "Sweepstakes" in the Texas UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Contest, and NMMEA Music Performance Assessments.

An accomplished clarinetist, Mr. Shemas has also performed in orchestral, chamber, and wind ensembles, as well as a soloist, in various collegiate, community, and professional ensembles across the United States. His experiences include performances at the College Band Directors National Association Conferences, numerous music festivals, and the 2018 Midwest International Band & Orchestra Clinic in Chicago as part of The Woodlands Concert Band.

Mr. Shemas holds membership in the California Music Educators Association, the New Mexico Music Educators Association, the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Bandmasters Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity.  His primary teacher was Mr. Richie Hawley, Principal Clarinetist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Professor of Clarinet at the Rice University Shepard School of Music. 

Mr. Shemas holds Bachelor of Music degrees in both Music Education and Clarinet Performance, as well as Master of Music Degree in Clarinet Performance from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of 

A Sampling of Choir Events

 Performances:  

• District Concerts, which included singing with and listening to elementary choirs, elementary honor choirs, other middle school choirs, and high school choirs
• Concerts with our own Brownell Bands
• Memory Lane Concert, with just our Choir, singing songs from the entire year.  This is also the Choir where alumni from past Brownell Choirs join us on one song, "From the Heart."
• Sing the National Anthem for Brownell's Promotion Ceremony.

Field Trips:  

• Vocal Arts Festival at California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo (CalPoly) where we sing and listen to other middle school choirs in California
• Disneyland (if accepted), where we sing at the California Adventure Backlot Stage and attend a vocal workshop with their professional musicians
• Live Oak Adult Day Center in Gilroy, where we spread holiday cheer
• One of the High Schools to attend their Chamber Choir Class (advanced choir)
• Building the Bridge for Music - where we visit the elementary schools and share about Brownell's music program.

Other:

• Caroling through the classrooms
• 1-3 students are selected to sing in the CMEA (California Music Educators' Association) Conference in January
• 1 or 2 fundraisers, including the Spaghetti Feed held by the Choral Boosters at Gilroy High School
• We get our picture taken with a professional photographer.  Individual photos and Buddy photos are also available for purchase.

Founded in 1967, CJSF fosters high standards of scholarship, service and citizenship in the middle school grades. Like CSF, CJSF emphasizes service to the school and the community while fostering pride in scholastic achievement. 

CJSF Fabulous Five Officers - 2022-2023
(elections to be held soon)