Our Team

Nate Conell

Director of Instrumental Music

Nate Conell is a Music Educator, multi instrumentalist and Marching Arts Designer currently based in Phoenix, Arizona. Nate is the Director of Instrumental Music at Arcadia High School in Phoenix, Arizona where he conducts the Concert Band, Concert Orchestra, and Jazz Band. He is also the director of the Spirit of Arcadia Marching Band which has won several state championships in both the ABODA and AzMBA circuits. Nate has designed music, drill and choreography for the last several years in for programs like McClintock High School, Liberty High School, Agua Fria High School and Arcadia High School. Nate received his Bachelors of Music Learning and Teaching from Arizona State University with an emphasis in Clarinet, go Devils!

Kai Benedict

Color Guard Caption Head

Hello, my name is kai benedict and I’m the color guard caption head for arcadia high school! I’ve been doing color guard for just over 4 years, starting out in marching band at arcadia high school in 2021. I began dci (drum corps international) in 2023 at Pacific Crest, and this upcoming season will be my 3rd year marching dci! I’m currently a canine coach at dogtopia arcadia, and I’m going to school for pre-veterinary medicine!! I’ve only been officially teaching color guard for one season, but I’m very excited to be making this my second season teaching at arcadia !

Adrian Almendarez

Brass Technician

Adrian Almendarez is excited to join the Arcadia High School Marching Band staff as a Brass Technician. A proud graduate of Basha High School, he served as trumpet section leader for three years and was a three-time featured soloist in the marching band’s field shows. Adrian is also a two-time Arizona All-State Band member, and AZMBA Brass solo first place finisher. 

This fall, he will be attending Arizona State University, majoring in Music Learning and Teaching and Trumpet Performance. Adrian Almendarez is passionate about music education and looks forward to helping students grow as both musicians and performers.

Giovan Baniqued (Gio)

Visual Technician

Hailing from the Chandler/Gilbert area, Giovan Baniqued is a recent graduate from Basha High School. Having done 9 seasons of indoor drumline and fall marching band combined as well as a summer with the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps, Gio is a well trained visual performer. With his diverse background marching various brass and percussion instruments such as cymbals, mellophone, and trumpet, he is thrilled to be serving as a Visual Technician for the Spirit of Arcadia this fall!

 On top of serving as a Vis Tech, Gio attends Chandler Gilbert Community College and plans to transfer to ASU to pursue a degree in secondary music education with aspirations of becoming a band director.