Bobcat Stories

Name: Aaron Morales

In this edition of our newsletter, we bring you an interview with Aaron Morales, the dynamic and creative performing arts department leader and band director at Bosque School. Behind the scenes, Aaron reveals a quirky side — despite living in the digital age, he still swears by his trusty iPod classic and has no plans to upgrade anytime soon.

What's a fun or surprising fact that most people at the school might not know about you?

I still use an iPod classic, and I have no plans to evolve. 

Outside of school, how do you like to spend your free time? Any hobbies or interests you'd like to share?

I'm currently working on two YouTube channels that I plan to launch in early 2024. One is an educational channel on performance and approach to percussion instruments. The other is performing video game covers on the marimba! When they come out, be sure to like and subscribe!

Share a brief overview of your educational and professional journey that led you to Bosque School.

Bosque School is my third teaching position. My first position was a percussion/assistant director position at a large high school in Phoenix. After moving to New Mexico in 2016, I took on a middle school/district percussion job with Rio Rancho Public Schools. It was towards the end of the 2019 school year that a family member informed me that the band director at Bosque was retiring. I immediately applied and have not looked back. 

Do you have any pets?

I have two cats - Cecil and Ness. They are brothers, and they are 11 years old. 

What's one of your favorite memories or moments from your time at Bosque School so far?

Every concert we put on creates wonderful moments of outstanding student achievement. I'm so proud of my students each time they perform. 

Are you involved in any clubs, organizations, or activities outside of teaching? How do they tie into your role at Bosque School?

I get commissioned to compose and arrange music for marching bands in New Mexico and Arizona. While I'm not directly involved in the activity of marching band anymore, my arranging skills allow me to write music for the students here. That could be a change to someone's part in a piece, or it could be an entire piece — perhaps for this upcoming Grand Finale concert?

What would you tell a family that is considering Bosque School?

In addition to a strong education within core curricular classes, students also deserve excellent exposure to the performing arts as part of their educational experience. Bosque provides this with a collection of top-notch educators in each of the major performing arts areas. 

Do you have any ongoing research, personal projects, or creative endeavors that you're passionate about and would like to share?

Ever since becoming a parent, I have been continually reading up on best practices regarding all learning styles and ideas surrounding neurodiversity. This has been a guiding factor in both my parenting and my teaching for a number of years. This has been overtaking my previous favorite topic, which was social psychology. 

Do you have a funny or moving anecdote about Bosque School?

I just want to say that I am proud of the fact that I introduced Whamageddon to the 8th-grade team. 

If you could give one piece of advice to your students, what would it be?

Expect the unexpected!