Jamie Ovalle is Director of Orchestras at Martin High School in Arlington, TX. She has been teaching since 2009, with 9 of those years at Martin High School.
Mrs. Ovalle began her music endeavors as a student in Arlington ISD with cello as her primary instrument. She graduated from Texas Christian University in 2009 with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education. While at TCU, she studied cello under Dr. Jesus Castro-Balbi and performed with the TCU Symphony under Dr. Germán Gutiérrez.
Prior to Martin High School, Mrs. Ovalle spent one year teaching middle school in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. She then spent three years in Fort Worth ISD as the sole director at Meacham Middle School and Diamond Hill–Jarvis High School. Under her direction, these programs tripled in size and earned their first Sweepstakes ratings in recent school history.
Mrs. Ovalle joined the Martin Orchestra team in 2013 as an assistant with the late Jennifer Lemin under the leadership of Michael Stringer. During her time as an assistant, she conducted the Martin High School Symphony Orchestra at the Texas Music Educators Convention in 2015 & 2017. When she became the Director of Orchestras in 2017, Mrs. Ovalle conducted the MHS Symphony at The Midwest Clinic in Chicago. The following year, the 2019 MHS Symphony Orchestra was named the High School Honor Full Orchestra and performed at the TMEA Convention for the 3rd time in 5 years. During the same year, the string orchestra was invited to perform in London, England alongside the MHS choir on an international tour. Most recently, the MHS Symphony String Orchestra was invited to perform at the ASTA National Orchestra Festival in Orlando in March of 2020. She credits all of these honors to the work ethic & heart of the outstanding Martin Orchestra musicians.
Mrs. Ovalle has an incredible husband, Dallas, beautiful eight-year-old daughter, Landry Belle, and a handsome son, Jett Ace, who is five. When not on the podium, she enjoys spending time with Dallas, Landry and Jett, participating in church activities, cooking and watching sports.
Contact: jovalle@aisd.net
Sammy Branch is an Associate Director of Orchestras at Martin High School in Arlington, Texas. Since 2006 he has also been the conductor of the String Orchestra at the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra. Prior to his position at Martin he served as the Head Orchestra Director at Gunn Junior High School in Arlington, Texas for 13 years. He is a product of the Arlington ISD from Martin High School, then under the direction of Mr. Bill Huff.
Mr. Branch is a graduate of TCU with Departmental Honors, where he earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree Cum Laude, with violin as his primary instrument. He studied conducting under the direction of Dr. Germán Gutiérrez and violin under the direction of Dr. Curt Thompson. Mr. Branch began his teaching career in 2001, and his groups consistently receive Sweepstakes ratings at UIL music contests and superior ratings at spring festivals. Three times at different festivals his groups have earned Best in Class and Grand Champion awards.
Mr. Branch is also an active member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Orchestra Directors Association, and Mu Phi Epsilon. He is also on staff at The University of Texas at Arlington Summer Strings Camp and the Sam Houston State University Orchestra Summer Camp.
Fluent in Spanish, Mr. Branch was born in Mexico City, Mexico and immigrated to the United States at the age of 5 and began studying violin at the age of 10. When not conducting or teaching, Mr. Branch enjoys golf, road biking, and spending time with his family.
Contact: sbranch@aisd.net
**Directors photos courtesy of Terry Ip Photography.
Mrs. Holly Burton has been a public school orchestra director for nineteen years and holds degrees in Cello Performance, Music Theory and Music Education. Before Martin, Mrs. Burton taught at Eaton High School where she was the Director of Orchestras for four years. Under her baton the Eaton Orchestras earned ten UIL Sweepstakes trophies and Best in Class awards at several string festivals around the state and recognition from the Chicago Symphony String Education Program.
Mrs. Burton has held several educational positions with Northwest ISD, Arlington ISD (having taught at Miller, Wood and Young), Abilene ISD and The Fort Worth Youth Orchestras. She has been on the conducting staff at the University of Texas at Arlington’s Summer Strings Camp and Northwest ISD’s Summer String Workshop..
She has performed as principal cellist with the Abilene Philharmonic, soloed with the San Angelo Symphony, and is currently in her sixth season as a section cellist with the Waco Symphony.
Mrs. Burton is an active member of Texas Music Educator’s Association, Texas Orchestra Director’s Association, is a lifetime member of PTA and is an AWARE Foundation Finalist for Excellence in Classroom Instruction.
As a former parent of two sons that went through the Martin Orchestra program and a former strings teacher of many students currently in the program, Mrs. Burton is honored and excited to be on the conducting staff of an organization that helped shape her children’s futures and continues to influence the lives of so many amazing young people.
When not conducting, teaching, or performing, Mrs. Burton enjoys road biking, running, quilting, traveling and spending time with her husband John, two sons, Chris and Craig, daughter-in-law Kim and granddaughters Kendall and Carsyn.
contact: hburton@aisd.net
Mrs. Katrina Escovedo is an Associate Director of Orchestras at Martin High School in Arlington, TX. Mrs. Escovedo earned a Bachelor of Music with Teaching Certification from the University of Texas at Arlington, graduating Magma Cum Laude. She studied violin with Dr. Martha Walvoord and performed in the UT Arlington Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Clifton Evans. She is a product of Arlington ISD and is excited to teach at Martin High School where she began her educational journey as a student teacher with the former Director of Orchestras, Michael Stringer.
Mrs. Escovedo is entering her tenth year as an orchestra director. Prior to her position at Martin HS, Mrs. Escovedo taught at McLean Middle School where she was the Director of Orchestras for four years. While at McLean, her groups earned consistent Sweepstakes ratings at UIL contest and superior ratings at festivals. Mrs. Escovedo also taught at Creekview High School in Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, Arlington High School in Arlington ISD and at both Adams Middle School and Fannin Middle School in Grand Prairie ISD.
Mrs. Escovedo has served on the curriculum committee for orchestral instruction in Fort Worth ISD. She has also coached at the University of Texas at Arlington’s Summer Strings Camp, and served as TMEA Orchestra Division Secretary. She holds an active membership in the Texas Music Educators Association and Texas Orchestra Directors Association.
She is honored and blessed to join the Martin Orchestra family and directors this year. When she is not teaching or conducting, Mrs. Escovedo enjoys gardening, reading, and watching Gordon Ramsey cooking shows. Most of all she appreciates spending time with her amazing husband, Fabian, talented four-year-old son, Leo, and adorable two-year-old toddler, Roman.
contact: kescoved@aisd.net