Directors
Director of Bands
Brek C. Mangelson
Brek Mangelson is the Director of Bands at Farmington High School. Raised in the Northern Cincinnati, Ohio area, Mr. Mangelson is a member of the first graduating class of Lakota West High School. He played trumpet and euphonium in the various bands at Lakota West under the direction of Greg Snyder. Beginning in 2000, the Lakota West Wind Symphony became a three-time performing ensemble at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago.
After serving a two-year mission in Budapest, Hungary for the LDS church, Mr. Mangelson earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Brigham Young University in 2006. In 2015, he was awarded a Master’s Degree in Instrumental Conducting from the University of Utah.
Mr. Mangelson was mentored by John Miller, retired Director of Bands at American Fork High School, during his student-teaching assignment. This experience helped prepare him for his first teaching position as Director of Bands at Lehi High School. The Lehi band program experienced great success with Mangelson at the helm, as their concert band qualified for the state concert band festival for the first time in almost 20 years.
After two years at Lehi, Mr. Mangelson seized the opportunity to open up a brand new high school, Westlake High School in Saratoga Springs, Utah. During Mr. Mangelson's time at Westlake, the band program had tremendous growth. The concert and jazz programs continually received superior ratings at the state festivals each year. He led The Marching Thunder to become the 2012 and 2013 Utah 4A State Champions, as well as Bands of America Regional Finalists four seasons in a row. Westlake is now considered to be one of the elite band programs in the State of Utah.
In early 2018 opportunity came knocking again; Mr. Mangelson was offered the Director of Bands position at the soon-to-be-completed Farmington High School. Despite numerous setbacks associated with new construction and building a band program from the ground up, Mr. Mangelson's first year has been filled with successes: The Marching Band capped off their first season with a 2nd place finish at the 2018 Utah 3A State Championships. The Wind and Jazz Ensembles both received superior ratings at their first state festivals; 11 soloists and seven ensembles from Farmington High received superior ratings at the State Solo and Ensemble Festival; seven students were accepted into the 2019 UMEA All-State Band; and the Farmington High indoor drumline placed 3rd in their division at the 2019 Intermountain Association Percussion Championships.
The band program is one of only 3 programs, state-wide, to receive straight superior ratings from every adjudicator in 2022 at the state band and jazz festivals. The marching band were back-to-back state 5A champions in 2019 & 2020 and were the 6A state champion runner-ups in 2021, as well as a 3-time Bands of America Regional Finalist.
In January 2012, Mr. Mangelson was a guest conductor of the Utah All-State Band upon the request of Samuel Hazo, at Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City. In May 2013, Mr. Mangelson also guest-conducted Caleb Chapman’s Voodoo Orchestra in the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City. Mr. Mangelson currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Battalion Drum and Bugle Corps located in Salt Lake City. Mr. Mangelson and his wife, Brooke, are the proud parents of four beautiful children and currently reside in Farmington, Utah.
Director of Percussion
Jacob Harker
Mr. Harker is the Director of Percussion at Farmington High School as well as the percussion caption head for the marching band.
Mr. Harker has worked with several schools throughout the state of Utah. Currently he is the assistant director of the drumline for the "Marching Utes" at the University of Utah. His groups have performed the last two years in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA.
His groups have consistently performed well at region and state festivals throughout the state. He is currently working on his Bachelor's Degree in architecture at the University of Utah.
Director of Color Guard
Karene Warby
After Farmington High School Band’s amazing 2021 marching band season, Karene Warby is excited to join the ‘team’ as Colorguard Director. Her face may be familiar to you as Karene isn’t entirely new to the Farmington Band. During this past season, she helped with props and equipment and likes to think she was ‘Guard Mom’. She enjoyed being on the ground and behind the scenes.
And Karene isn’t new to marching band. From 1987-1989, she marched with the American Fork High School Marching Band as Director John Miller began his tenure there. During these early years, American Fork Band was not winning very many awards, but Karene experienced firsthand the elements of a well-run program. She knows what it means to work hard, have pride in her work, but that excellence goes beyond trophies.
Post high school, Karene gained valuable experiences serving a LDS Mission to Hungary, working 8+ years in Human Resources, and being a mother of four children currently between the ages of 11-17.
In 2015, Karene started an elementary school-aged colorguard team based out of Endeavour Elementary in Kaysville, Utah. Her vision in founding the team has been to establish a program that builds confidence, self-esteem, and talent in 4-6th grade students. In addition, her students are better prepared to strengthen the junior and senior high colorguard programs.
Over the past 6+ years, Karene has seen success as she has managed and directed the Farmington Cadet Colorguard team. They have received silver ratings in the past two seasons from the Utah Colorguard Circuit. Prior to 2018, the cadet guard performed in exhibition only. Karene enjoys imagining show concepts, creating the overall visual effects, and watching an idea come to life. More importantly, she enjoys the opportunity to work with people of all different ages. She values the relationships she has developed over the years with students, parents, and administration.
Karene looks forward to this new opportunity to work with the FHS Colorguard team as we together strive for excellence.
Staff
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Mark Hartman, Assistant Director of Athletic Bands, Wind & Visual Coordinator
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Calen Hodsen, Visual
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David Wicai, Brass & Visual
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Megan Neal, Brass
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Josh Brock, Brass
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Ryan Wing, Woodwind
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Sarah Johnson, Woodwind
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Carston Gowans, Percussion- Front Ensemble
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Jake Harker, Percussion- Battery
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Anna Barber, Color Guard Coach
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Sydney James, Color Guard Coach
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Natalee Goeken, Color Guard Coach
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Mega Terry, Color Guard Coach
Associate Directors
Heath Wolf
Heath Wolf is the Director of Bands at Farmington Junior High. Mr. Wolf teaches over 300 students daily in the Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Beginning Band, Jazz Ensemble, Advanced Percussion Ensemble, and Beginning Percussion Ensemble.
Ensembles under Mr. Wolf’s direction have consistently earned superior ratings at local, state, national, and international sponsored festivals and competitions. Some of his ensembles’ more recent awards include featured performances at the Midwest Clinic, the Music for All National Concert Band Festival, the Utah Music Educators annual convention, the Sandy Feldstein National Percussion Festival, and the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. In April 2019 the Farmington Junior High Jazz Ensemble was named the top junior high jazz ensemble by Downbeat magazine. In 2011 the Farmington Junior High Band program was awarded the Sudler Cup from the John Philip Sousa Foundation, the only junior high in the western United States to earn this honor.
Mr. Wolf has been honored with numerous awards during his career: The Utah Music Educators Outstanding Junior High Teacher; two Superior Accomplishment Awards by the Utah Music Educators Association; Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Utah; Young Alumni Award from the University of Utah; named one of Fifty Directors That Make a Difference by School Band and Orchestra magazine; five Certificates of Achievement by the National Band Association; named to the Davis School District Hall of Fame; Davis School District Excel Award; Huntsman Excellence in Education Award; Sorenson Legacy Award a KSL Teacher Feature; KSL High Five; Murray School District Teacher of the Year; and has been listed in Who’s Who Among American Teachers.
As a performer, Mr. Wolf enjoys an active schedule as a freelance percussionist and as a member of the Ballet West Orchestra. He is an active adjudicator and clinician throughout the Intermountain West and has written articles for the Percussive Arts Society, the Utah Music Educators Association, and School Band and Orchestra magazine. As a composer, Mr. Wolf is published with Rowloff Publications. He is a member of the Percussive Arts Society, the Utah Music Educators Association, the National Band Association, and the Utah Band Masters Association. He is a past President of the Utah Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society, and a past Vice President of the Utah Music Educators Association. Mr. Wolf received both his Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music degrees from the University of Utah.
Ty Excell
Ty Excell is the director of bands at Centennial Junior High School. Originally from Southeast Idaho, Mr. Excell is a recent graduate of the University of Utah where he majored in Instrumental
Music Education and was an active participant in the School of Music’s Percussion Studio. Mr. Excell has worked with the Park City Marching Band as a drumline instructor and technology assistant in the 2019 season. Mr. Excell student taught at Riverton High School with Jason Weimer and Max Meyer.
As a member of the University of Utah’s Percussion Studio he performed with the Utah Drumline for several years. In 2019, he was selected to travel to the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) to perform in the chamber music competition. He has also performed and traveled with the University of Utah Percussion Ensemble and University of Utah Wind Ensemble on a variety of occasions, such as the Northwest Percussion Festival, and the 2019 Utah Music Educators Conference. Mr. Excell was also a member of the 2019 Jazz Street Beats Drumline, performing for up to 18,000 people at numerous home Jazz Basketball Games and all around the Maverick Center.
Mr. Excell studied percussion under Doctor Michael Sammons, Professor George Brown, Professor Doug Wolf, and Professor Kelly Wallis. He has also had experience performing on euphonium, trombone, tuba and cello. Mr. Excell is a proud member of the Utah Music Educators Association and the Percussive Arts Society.
Mr. Excell is very excited to teach band in the Farmington Cluster. He believes that anyone and everyone should have access to music, and loves to bring his passion for it to each and every one of his students, every single day.
Mr. Excell and his wife, Korynn, enjoy camping, hiking, and anything outdoors. They are the proud parents to one adorable daughter and have two cats as well.