OUR DIRECTORS
Steve Fry is in his eighth year as Director of Bands at A&M Consolidated High School. Prior to
coming to Consol, Mr. Fry was the Director of Bands at Tomball High School for four years, and
an Assistant Director for two years. Mr. Fry is originally from Oklahoma where he was the
Director of Bands at Edmond North School in Edmond, Oklahoma for 11 years. Mr. Fry was an
assistant director at Jenks High School and Edmond Memorial High School. During his 27 years
of teaching, his bands have consistently received superior ratings at both marching and concert
band contests. He has taken two different band programs to the UIL State Marching Contest.
Most recently, he has taken the A&M Consolidated Tiger Band to the UIL State Contest for the
2 nd time in school history.
Mr. Fry is a 1996 graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Instrumental Music
Education degree. His professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association,
Texas Bandmasters Association, and Phi Beta Mu.
Outside of the band hall, Mr. Fry enjoys spending time with his wife Wendy and traveling to new
destinations and their favorite place – Key West. Mr. Fry has two sons, Baxter and Bentley and
his golden retriever “Ashlyn”. Other hobbies include cooking in the kitchen, playing golf,
watching OU sports, and sitting on a patio or poolside listening to the waves with Wendy.
Steve Fry
Director of Bands
James Benton
Associate Director of Bands
Mr. James Benton brings over 18 years of music education experience to the San Antonio, Houston, and Central Texas areas. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from West Texas A&M University and a Master’s Degree in Music Performance from Louisiana State University, where he also served as a graduate teaching assistant.
​​
Mr. Benton is a provisional member of the Texas Music Adjudicators Association (TMAA) and has been an adjudicator with USBands since 2021. He is thrilled to return to the Bryan/College Station area, where he previously served as Director of Bands at Rudder High School. Under his leadership, the Rudder High School Band earned consistent superior ratings in Concert and Sight-Reading, advanced to the Area Honor Band Contest, and achieved the school’s first two Sweepstakes awards in marching band competition.
​
Most recently, Mr. Benton was the Director of Bands at Hopper Middle School in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, where he taught a variety of beginning instrumental classes and directed the award-winning Symphonic Band.
​
A former member of the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps, Mr. Benton has also served on the instructional staff for the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps.
​
In his free time, Mr. Benton enjoys cheering on his LSU Tigers, playing golf, and spending time with his wife Jodi, step kids Aiden and Sophie, and their two Shetland Sheepdogs, Kendall and Blaze.
_heic.png)
Mr. Crofton is a lifelong musician with a deep passion for sharing the joy of music with others. For the past four years, he served as the Front Ensemble Director and private lesson instructor for Cypress Park High School, where he helped grow and shape the young musicians in their program.
Mr. Crofton has taught at the world class level, with Genesis DBC and Cypress Park Indoor Percussion, he has performed with Imperial Percussion Theatre A and was one of the founding members of Monarch Independent Percussion. He just received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Houston, during his time he was Co-Principle of the Moores School of Music Opera, Orchestra, and Wind-Ensemble for the Percussion sections, and was a member of the “Pan-Tagonists” Moores Steel Band. Outside of music, Mr. Crofton enjoys fishing, sim-racing, and grilling a nice steak.
He is excited to work with with the amazing students at A&M Consolidated Tiger Band!
Cole Crofton
Assistant Director, Percussion
Ava Ahmadi
Color Guard Director
Ava Ahmadi serves as the Color Guard Director at A&M Consolidated High School, where she is now in her fifth year of leadership. With close to a decade of experience in the pageantry arts, she is committed to inspiring student growth through a passion for performance and excellence.
​
Ava has marched four seasons of Drum Corps International, including one with the Crossmen and three with Carolina Crown. She also performed two seasons of Independent Winter Guard. In addition to her performance background, she has served as a technician and educator, including at her alma mater, Tomball High School, where she was part of the instructional team when the program won the TCGC State Championship.
​
During her time at A&M Consolidated, she has developed and expanded a cadet guard program, introducing younger students to the activity and helping build a strong foundation for future performers. Her goal is to foster a love for the performing arts in the next generation while continuing to grow the excellence of the high school program.
Ava is currently pursuing her degree at Texas A&M University. In her free time, she enjoys going to the beach and spending time outdoors.
Alexandria DeWald
Color Guard Director
Now in her second year with the A&M Consolidated High School Band & Guard, Alex DeWald serves as the Color Guard Director, bringing almost a decade of experience in the marching arts to the program.
Alex's performance career includes four years of high school color guard, three seasons with the world-class Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps, and three years in Independent Winter Guard. During her final season with Carolina Crown, Alex proudly served as a captain of the CrownGUARD.
As a director, Alex is passionate about developing well-rounded performers, fostering a positive and disciplined team environment, and instilling a deep appreciation for the artistry and athleticism of color guard. Her leadership is grounded in both their extensive performance background and her understanding of student development, making them a valuable mentor to the next generation of performers.
Originally from Prosper, Texas, she grew up in the North Dallas area and is an alumni of Prosper High School. Alex went on to graduate from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Outside of the marching arts, Alex enjoys spending time with her family and roadtripping.