Since 2012, Mrs. Renee Young-Esparza has been the band director at Barry Goldwater High School in the Deer Valley Unified School District. The 2018-2019 school year will mark her 8th year at Goldwater.

Mrs. Esparza began playing the flute in the 6th grade while attending Madison Meadows Middle School in central Phoenix. As a freshman at Central High School, she made the decision to pursue music and become a band teacher. She attended the Arizona State University School of Music, and studied with band directors, Dr. Robert Fleming, Dr. Richard Strange, Mr. Douglas Akey, Mr. Bill Richardson, and Mr. Robert Sampson. For the past 27 years, Mrs. Esparza has taught band, orchestra, choir, piano and guitar at elementary to high school levels throughout Arizona.This coming year will be her 28th year of teaching public school music. 
 

Through tradition and student leadership, Mrs. Esparza has helped guide the Goldwater Programs to growth and quality. Since 2012, the Pride Regiment has performed in the State Marching Championships four times. The Concert Band and Wind Ensemble have received Superior and Superiors with Distinction ratings at Area and State level festivals. In 2018, she launched the first string orchestra at Goldwater and in 2019, will re-launch the jazz program.

Mrs. Esparza has served as leadership on the Executive Board for the Arizona Band and Orchestra Directors Association (ABODA). She has conducted various honor groups, including the Arizona All-State Middle School Honor Band and the Northeast Region High School Honor Band. She also serves as a clinician/adjudicator for Arizona Middle School Area and State Concert Festivals. In 2004, Mrs. Esparza was honored by the Arizona Music Educators Association with an O.M. Hartsell Excellence in Teaching Music Award.

Mrs. Esparza lives in South Phoenix with her husband, Samuel, and their four crazy cats: Little Jerry Seinfeld, BabyKat, ChowChow, and Denny.