Joseph Chen walked into Elkins High School as a first-year teacher a decade ago. He never left.

Now in his 10th year at the Missouri City campus and his fifth as director of bands, Chen has built a program that sent its percussion ensemble to the prestigious Midwest Clinic in Chicago last December and earned him the Elkins 2025 Teacher of the Year honor.

Fort Bend ISD spotlighted Chen's milestone in a video feature posted Tuesday, Aug. 25, the first day of the 2026-27 school year. The district described his path as one shaped by a passion for music and a teacher who recognized his potential early on.

The identity of that mentor is not named in available district materials. What is clear from Chen's biography is a trajectory steeped in competitive music: he played euphonium at the University of Houston's Moores School of Music under instructor Danny Vinson, spent five years in the Spirit of Houston Marching Band (four as a section leader) and marched baritone with The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps from 2013 to 2015. He served as drum major in his 2016 age-out season and was the concert euphonium soloist in The Cavaliers' 2014 production "Immortal."

Chen completed his student teaching at Dawson High School and Berry Miller Jr. High before joining Elkins, where he spent five years as associate director and then stepped up to lead the program.

The accolades followed quickly. He won both the Elkins Rookie Teacher of the Year and the Fort Bend ISD Secondary Rookie Teacher of the Year early in his tenure. In 2025, he was named Elkins Teacher of the Year and was a finalist for the district-wide honor.

Under Chen's leadership, the Elkins band program has grown its competitive profile. The percussion ensemble's December 2025 performance at the 79th Midwest Clinic, one of the most selective showcases for school ensembles in the country, drew a visit from Superintendent Dr. Marc Smith in January. Smith sat in on a jazz rehearsal and posted about the experience on X on Jan. 15:

@FortBendISDSupt: "I kicked off my morning with some seriously cool jazz, and I even hopped on the drums as they practiced for an upcoming performance."

Chen heads into the new school year with an expanded staff. Danny Pham, a University of Houston graduate who marched with the Blue Knights and Santa Clara Vanguard drum corps, joins the director team as associate director alongside Hannah Scott, Christopher Dial and guard director Jalissa Facundo.

Elkins High School, at 7007 Knights Court, serves students from Quail Valley, Meadow Creek, Lake Olympia and Riverstone.

Upcoming: The Elkins band program posts its fall performance and competition schedule at elkinsband.org. Families can reach the program at [email protected].