Poly Band Boosters Corporation, 3457 Arlington Ave STE 104 PMB 321, Riverside, CA 92506-3220
Ms. Arwen Hernandez, Band Director
Meet Our Director
Arwen Hernandez has been a band director in southern California since 2006. She received her B.A. in Music Education from California State University, Los Angeles, where she studied conducting with Dr. Thomas Miyake, Dr. Abel Ramirez and Donald Brinegar. She has been the band director at Riverside Polytechnic High School since 2018. Prior to that, she held positions at Edison High School in Huntington Beach, and Palisades Charter High School in Pacific Palisades. Ms. Hernandez was a member of the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps and an original London cast member of the hit stage show, BLAST! Ms. Hernandez has been on staff for Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps and Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps. She was in the Los Angeles Master Chorale for five years. Ms. Hernandez is an active adjudicator for the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association, and is on the steering committee for field adjudication. Her professional affiliations include SCSBOA, NAfME and CBDA. Ms. Hernandez lives in Riverside with her first dog, Rally, her son, Teddy, and her husband, Matt Matthews, the band director at Colony High School in Ontario. Their home is full of toys and band talk.
aehernandez@riversideunified.org
951-788-7203 ext. 64060
Color Guard Director
Meet Mrs. Hartmann
Shawn Hartmann started her color guard career as a member of Fantasia and marched with them for 3 years. She has been teaching color guard for almost 30 years throughout Southern California. Shawn has experience teaching middle school to high school color guard for winter guard, parade, and field season. She has been teaching the color guard at Poly for six years and is proud to continue the excellence that was started before her. We have a great color guard staff at Poly that strives to make all members improve and reach their full potential. Shawn has also been a teacher in RUSD for over 25 years and has been married for 22 years with 4 amazing boys.
shartmann@riversideunified.org
951-788-7296 ext. 42246
Percussion Director
Meet Tate Kinsella
Tate Kinsella is a Percussion & Drum Set Performer/Educator based in Southern California. Tate received his B.M. from the Fred Loewe Conservatory of Music, his M.M. In sound engineering and Design from the Berklee College of Music, and an M.M. In Jazz Performance from the University of Southern California. He has studied with some of the most prominent performers and educators in SoCal, and Boston such as : Dr. Peter Erskine, Dan Schnell, Nicolas Semrad, Joel Taylor, Bill Schlitt, Dr. Yuri Inoo, Bob Minzer, Steve Hass, Kush Abadey, Jody Fischer, Dr. David Scott, Enrique Gonzalez Müller, Dr. Anthony Suter, Dr. Co Boi Nguyen, and Dr. Eddie Smith.
Tate Has performed and toured (Festivals including Coachella, Lalopalooza, and The Newport Jazz Festival) in the United States, Europe,and The Americas with artists such as: Sophia Bollman (NBC’s the voice) , “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” off broadway tour, “Urine Town” off broadway tour, Redlands Symphony Orchestra, “RELAYE” Green Shoots tour, Marsh Davis, Justin “TRU-LEE”, “CARLY RENAE” Torn Tour , “The Honey” Monsters Tour, “Joe Bagg” Live at the Blue Whale, USC Thornton Jazz Orchestra, Polyfeels Jazz Trio, Ben Davis Trio, Zzaj Quintet, Crawford banks’ “The Beethoven Method” Motion Picture Soundtrack,Andrew Sandoval, Chris “Dixie” Darley (Father John Misty), Will Worden (Willie Nelson), Phil Hollie, Headbed Jazz Project, Cruel Billie, Carey Nordstrand (Nordstrand Audio/Nordstrand Basses), Dylann Taylor, and Chris Sikora (Voyager Studios).
Tate currently resides in Riverside California with His wife Anay, and dogs Umi, Sophie, and Sam.
Student Leadership
Simon Thrush
Caydence Chitwood
Anthony Schwabe
Drum Major
Anthony Schwabe
Caydence Chitwood
Anthony Schwabe
Drum Major
Caydence Chitwood
Caydence Chitwood
Caydence Chitwood
Drum Major & Secretary
Katelynn Nettles
Ethan Praicharnchit
Caydence Chitwood
President & low brass section leader
Ethan Praicharnchit
Ethan Praicharnchit
Ethan Praicharnchit
Vice President
Anaya Anderson
Ethan Praicharnchit
Ethan Praicharnchit
Librarian & flute section leader
Jake Corradino
Jake Corradino
Jake Corradino
Percussion Captain (Battery)
Lilly McDonald
Jake Corradino
Jake Corradino
Percussion Captain
Leeah Shaw
Jake Corradino
Natalia Votruba
Color Guard Captain
Natalia Votruba
Natalia Votruba
Color Guard Co-Captain
Paloma Swigart
Clarinet section leader
Marissa Flores
Alto saxophone section leader
Andres Pelayo
Chris Gonzalez
Chris Gonzalez
Low reed setion leader
Chris Gonzalez
Chris Gonzalez
Chris Gonzalez
High brass section leader
John Inskeep
Chris Gonzalez
Morghan Denham
Tuba section leader
Morghan Denham
Richard Zacarias
Morghan Denham
Field & Equipment Manager
Richard Zacarias
Richard Zacarias
Richard Zacarias
Field & Equipment Manager