DMHS Band Directors       
                                                                   
Michelle Irvin, Director                               

David Authement, Percussion Instructor      

Liza Noriega, Color Guard Instructor

The Desert Mountain Bands are under the direction of Mrs. Michelle Irvin.  David Authement works daily with the drum line and the pit members.  Mrs. Liza Noriega is the Color Guard Director.

Michelle Irvin, Director of Bands

Mrs. Michelle Irvin is the Director of Bands at Desert Mountain High School.  Mrs. Irvin has been at Desert Mountain since its opening in 1995.  She was born and raised in Arizona, graduating from Moon Valley High School in the Glendale School District.  After High School, Mrs. Irvin traveled north to Northern Arizona University, where she received her Bachelor’s degree and pursued graduate courses in Conducting. She is the President-Elect to the Arizona Association of Jazz Educator’s and received Outstanding Fine Arts Teacher for the Scottsdale Unified School District in 2006.  Mrs. Irvin has served as guest clinician for several local honor bands and has adjudicated several elementary and middle school concert band festivals.  She is actively involved in the local Music Educators Association and has presented various clinics at the Arizona Music Educators Conference.  Mrs. Irvin is married to her very supportive husband Steve and has a wonderful daughter Ashley.

David Authement, Percussion Instructor

The Percussion instructor, entering his 7th year with Desert Mountain, is David Authement. Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, David graduated from North Canyon High School in 1996. He marched with the Santa Clara Vanguard in 1997 and 1998. In 1997, the full corps took overall 3rd place, while the drum line took 2nd place. In 1998, the full corps took overall 2nd place, and Dave was one of the Drum Line World Champions. David has been taught by world-known instructors including Ralph Hardimon, Jim Casella, Murray Gusseck, and Glen Crosby.

Liza Noriega, Color Guard Director

Liza Noriega was born and raised in New York. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Education from Arizona State University and a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University. She plans on completing her doctorate over the next few years. Mrs. Noriega currently teaches dance at DMHS. She has been a choreographer of dance and Color Guard since 1982, earning many awards for her work, including the 1997 “Artist of Promise” award. Most recently she choreographed for the award winning Inaugural Season for “The Academy” Division II Drum and Bugle Corps during the summer of 2004. She is a recognized adjudicator for various dance and Color Guard events. Mrs. Noriega is married and has three beautiful children.