New band director hired at Newbury Park High

The Newbury Park High School Panther Instrumental Music Department has named Dennis Crystal as the new band director.

Crystal has a bachelor's degree in music from USC and a Master of Music degree in conducting from the American Band College at Southern Oregon University.

Crystal has been a band director for five years while teaching middle school and high school band in Southern California. He most recently taught band and orchestra in Loveland, Colo.

His previous positions include percussion instructor at Northview High School and San Gabriel High School. At El Rancho High School he established indoor drumline programs and taught percussion privately.

While a student at USC Crystal played in the university's marching band, brass band, AfroLatin Jazz Ensemble and various jazz combos.

Crystal and his wife, Rose, have three children: Elizabeth, 5; Noah, 2; and Emily, 6 months.

Crystal joins a department that has won three Western Band Association State Band championships in the past four years.