Jason Schayot is the Fine Arts Coordinator and Director of Bands at Pearce High School, and is currently in his 29th year of public school education. Before coming to Pearce, he served as Fine Arts Coordinator and Director of Bands at Berkner High School in Richardson ISD, where he taught for 13 years.

Under his baton, the Berkner Symphonic Band I performed at The Midwest Clinic in Chicago in 2019, as did the Symphony Orchestra in 2016. During his tenure, the Mighty Ram Marching Band advanced to the Texas UIL State Open Class Marching Band Contest in 2023 and 2016. He was named a Richardson ISD STARS Teacher of the Year in 2016 and a national semifinalist for the 2022 Grammy Music Educator Award.

Mr. Schayot has also taught in Giddings and Georgetown, Texas at the middle school and high school levels. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Southwestern University, where he was named the 2021 Distinguished Alumni Professional.

Brandon Day conducts the Wind Symphony, teaches two beginner brass classes at feeder elementaries, and assists with the marching band, jazz band, and full orchestra.

He spent the previous six years as Director of Bands at Burleson High School, where he led the marching band to UIL Area Marching Finals for the first time and helped every concert band earn superior ratings for the first time. Under his direction, the Burleson Wind Ensemble and chamber groups performed at the 2023 TMEA Convention, the 2023 Music for All National Concert Band Festival, and the 2024 Western International Band Clinic in Seattle, and won a National Mark of Excellence Award. The marching band placed 2nd in Class AA at the 2022 Bands of America Super Regional in San Antonio.

Prior to Burleson, he taught five years at Azle ISD. In 2018 he founded the Azle Indoor Winds program, which won the WGI Scholastic Open gold medal with a perfect 100 in multiple visual captions and became a World Class finalist in 2019.

A native of Keller, Texas, Mr. Day studied horn at the University of North Texas, performing with multiple concert bands, the men's chorus, and the UNT Green Brigade. He marched with the 2007 Division 3 champion Memphis Sound and has worked with the brass staffs of the Troopers, Crossmen, and Guardians. He is an active clinician and adjudicator in the DFW area.

Mr. Day and his wife Brittany have two children, Norah and Parker, and a pug named Walter. He is an avid runner and completed his second marathon in 2025.

Katie Harrison earned her Bachelor of Music Education with EC-12 instrumental certification from Sam Houston State University, where she studied euphonium under Dr. Henry Howey. She performed with the SHSU Wind Ensemble, the Bearkat Marching Band, the Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble, and the SHSU Tuba Quartet.

She has performed at the American Bandmasters Association Convention and in intercollegiate bands including the College Band Directors National Association band and the Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma National Intercollegiate Band. At Sam Houston she served as Wind Ensemble Librarian, Bearkat Marching Band Student Assistant for two years, and as Tau Beta Sigma Vice President, Recording Secretary, and Service Coordinator.

Originally from McKinney, Texas, Mrs. Harrison lives in Garland with her husband Alex, a middle school band director in Garland ISD.

Nathan Pippin is beginning his first year of teaching at J.J. Pearce High School, conducting the Concert Band, teaching beginner band classes, and assisting with the Mighty Mustang Band and jazz band. He grew up in Dallas and is a proud Pearce alumnus.

He earned his Bachelor of Music Education from Texas Christian University, studying saxophone with Joe Eckert and Allen Cordingley. He performed with the TCU Wind Symphony, which appeared at the 2025 CBDNA National Conference and the 2026 TMEA Convention, as well as the TCU Jazz Band, the TCU Saxophone Ensemble, and the Horned Frog Marching Band, where he served as a saxophone section leader. He completed his student teaching at Southlake Carroll Senior High School and Dawson Middle School in Carroll ISD.

Outside of teaching, Mr. Pippin enjoys the outdoors, the gym, and DFW sports. He is glad to return to his alma mater and continue the tradition of excellence at Pearce.

Cameron Zawadzki earned his Bachelor of Music Performance from Texas A&M University–Commerce, studying under Dr. Brian Zator, Sandi Rennick, Kent Hillman, and Cory Doran. He performed with the Pride Marching Band, percussion ensembles, wind ensemble, jazz ensemble, and the Panamation Steel Drum Ensemble.

He placed first in the 2017 PASIC collegiate marimba competition, marched with the Santa Clara Vanguard in 2018 for a DCI World Championship and the Fred Sanford high percussion award, and won the 2019 TAMUC Concerto Competition, performing Gillingham's Concerto No. 2 for Marimba and Wind Ensemble.

Originally from Odessa, Texas, Alex Serrano came to the DFW area in 2017 to pursue his marching career, performing with world class organizations including CGT, Origins, and Mirage Performance Ensemble.

He has instructed World Class DCI organizations such as The Colts, The Cadets, and The Blue Stars, as well as WGI independent groups FIU World/Open, Menage World, and Mirage World. Before joining Pearce he taught color guard at Hebron, Naaman Forest, and Royse City high schools, where his guards medaled in the top three in Scholastic A and Regional A and reached finals in Scholastic A/Open at WGI regionals.