JOSHUA THOMPSON
WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
Joshua Thompson has been the Orchestra Director at Westwood High School since 2017. During his four years leading this storied program, the orchestra program has grown to five performing orchestras and the Symphony Orchestra has been invited to perform at the prestigious Midwest Clinic in 2019. Previously, Joshua was the Orchestra Director at Shepton High School, in Plano, Texas. In his 13 years at Shepton, he grew the orchestra program from 79 students in 2 performing groups to 172 students in 5 performing orchestras. In 2011, the Foundation of Music Education named the Shepton Chamber Orchestra one of three National Winners in the Mark of Excellence – National Orchestra Honors Competition, despite Shepton High School being a campus of only 9th and 10th graders. He previously taught at Haggard Middle School in Plano, and South Cobb High School, in Austell, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta.
Joshua holds a Master of Music degree in Music Performance in Instrumental Conducting from the University of Kentucky (Lexington) and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University. As a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Kentucky, he conducted all of the university bands, the Symphony Orchestra, and various chamber ensembles. As an undergraduate conductor, Joshua became co-director of the Dana Brass Ensemble, founded a studio orchestra devoted to the performance of film music, and guest conducted both university concert bands and the Youngstown Youth Symphony Orchestra. His final conducting appearance at Youngstown State was a highly successful, full production of Igor Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat. A lifelong learner, he has recently attended several conducting workshops around the world, including the International Conducting Workshop and Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria, working with Larry Rachleff and Donald Schleicher.
As a trumpeter, Joshua was chosen to perform as part of a solo clinic at the International Trumpet Guild Conference in Richmond, Virginia, where he performed the Sonata for Trumpet and Piano by Peter Maxwell Davies with pianist Rebecca Wilt. He was a semi-finalist at the National Trumpet Competition’s Masters Division in 1998, and was chosen as an alternate for the New World Symphony in Miami, Florida after completing graduate school. As an undergraduate, he won the Dana School of Music Concerto Competition and was the winner of the Ohio Federation of Music Clubs Solo Competition in 1996. Originally from Steubenville, Ohio, Joshua first took up trumpet studies with his grandfather, a successful high school band director. He remains an active freelance trumpeter, and is in high demand as a performer, adjudicator, and clinician. In his free time, Joshua is a former competitive distance runner, racing distances from 5 kilometers to 50 miles. In 2015, he represented the City of Dallas as a citizen ambassador to Sendai, Japan, taking part in the Sendai International Half Marathon.
WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
Joshua Thompson has been the Orchestra Director at Westwood High School since 2017. During his four years leading this storied program, the orchestra program has grown to five performing orchestras and the Symphony Orchestra has been invited to perform at the prestigious Midwest Clinic in 2019. Previously, Joshua was the Orchestra Director at Shepton High School, in Plano, Texas. In his 13 years at Shepton, he grew the orchestra program from 79 students in 2 performing groups to 172 students in 5 performing orchestras. In 2011, the Foundation of Music Education named the Shepton Chamber Orchestra one of three National Winners in the Mark of Excellence – National Orchestra Honors Competition, despite Shepton High School being a campus of only 9th and 10th graders. He previously taught at Haggard Middle School in Plano, and South Cobb High School, in Austell, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta.
Joshua holds a Master of Music degree in Music Performance in Instrumental Conducting from the University of Kentucky (Lexington) and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University. As a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Kentucky, he conducted all of the university bands, the Symphony Orchestra, and various chamber ensembles. As an undergraduate conductor, Joshua became co-director of the Dana Brass Ensemble, founded a studio orchestra devoted to the performance of film music, and guest conducted both university concert bands and the Youngstown Youth Symphony Orchestra. His final conducting appearance at Youngstown State was a highly successful, full production of Igor Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat. A lifelong learner, he has recently attended several conducting workshops around the world, including the International Conducting Workshop and Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria, working with Larry Rachleff and Donald Schleicher.
As a trumpeter, Joshua was chosen to perform as part of a solo clinic at the International Trumpet Guild Conference in Richmond, Virginia, where he performed the Sonata for Trumpet and Piano by Peter Maxwell Davies with pianist Rebecca Wilt. He was a semi-finalist at the National Trumpet Competition’s Masters Division in 1998, and was chosen as an alternate for the New World Symphony in Miami, Florida after completing graduate school. As an undergraduate, he won the Dana School of Music Concerto Competition and was the winner of the Ohio Federation of Music Clubs Solo Competition in 1996. Originally from Steubenville, Ohio, Joshua first took up trumpet studies with his grandfather, a successful high school band director. He remains an active freelance trumpeter, and is in high demand as a performer, adjudicator, and clinician. In his free time, Joshua is a former competitive distance runner, racing distances from 5 kilometers to 50 miles. In 2015, he represented the City of Dallas as a citizen ambassador to Sendai, Japan, taking part in the Sendai International Half Marathon.
JUSTIN ANDERSON
WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Justin M. Anderson is currently the associate orchestra director at Westwood High School. Previously, he was the director of orchestras at Grisham Middle School in Round Rock ISD. Under his direction, his orchestras performed at UIL Concert and Sightreading evaluations with Superior Ratings, and his orchestras have won many festival competition categories such as "Superior Performance", "Best in Class" and "Overall Outstanding Orchestra".
Mr. Anderson is from Odessa, TX and majored in music education at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin. Mr. Anderson has performed with the Fightin’ Falcon Band, University Choir, Philharmonic Orchestra, Piano Ensemble, and University String Quartet.
He also has had many accomplishments such as performing with the Juilliard formed "Cassatt Quartet" through the Cassatt in the Basin Project. In 2016, Justin Anderson was invited as a guest conductor at the Texas Orchestra Director's Association Convention.
Mr. Anderson has also performed with the Midland-Odessa symphony as a violist, and has worked with summer music camps at the university and high school level.
Justin is currently in his 8th year as the Associate Director at Westwood High School. He is professionally associated with the Texas Music Educator's Association, Texas Orchestra Director's Association, and Texas Music Teachers Association.
Justin currently lives in the Austin Metroplex Area and in his spare time enjoys graphic design, gardening and yard work, and just being around great people!
WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Justin M. Anderson is currently the associate orchestra director at Westwood High School. Previously, he was the director of orchestras at Grisham Middle School in Round Rock ISD. Under his direction, his orchestras performed at UIL Concert and Sightreading evaluations with Superior Ratings, and his orchestras have won many festival competition categories such as "Superior Performance", "Best in Class" and "Overall Outstanding Orchestra".
Mr. Anderson is from Odessa, TX and majored in music education at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin. Mr. Anderson has performed with the Fightin’ Falcon Band, University Choir, Philharmonic Orchestra, Piano Ensemble, and University String Quartet.
He also has had many accomplishments such as performing with the Juilliard formed "Cassatt Quartet" through the Cassatt in the Basin Project. In 2016, Justin Anderson was invited as a guest conductor at the Texas Orchestra Director's Association Convention.
Mr. Anderson has also performed with the Midland-Odessa symphony as a violist, and has worked with summer music camps at the university and high school level.
Justin is currently in his 8th year as the Associate Director at Westwood High School. He is professionally associated with the Texas Music Educator's Association, Texas Orchestra Director's Association, and Texas Music Teachers Association.
Justin currently lives in the Austin Metroplex Area and in his spare time enjoys graphic design, gardening and yard work, and just being around great people!
RAGAN WHATLEY
CANYON VISTA MIDDLE SCHOOL
Ragan Whatley is the Orchestra Director at Canyon Vista Middle School. He previously taught orchestra in the Katy Independent School District (Katy, TX) and in the Houston Independent School District (Houston, TX). His Orchestras are consistent UIL Sweepstakes Winners, and are frequent winners of “Best in Class” and “Best Overall” awards at state music festivals. In addition, his orchestras have been named as National Winners of the Foundation for Music Education's Mark of Excellence Award.
Mr. Whatley is a graduate of the University of North Texas, where he received his Bachelors Degree in Music Education with an emphasis in Instrumental Studies. While at UNT, Mr. Whatley studied viola with Dr. Susan Dubois and conducting with Dr. Clay Couturiaux. He also performed in the UNT Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Anshel Brusilow.
As a violist, Mr. Whatley has performed with various Texas orchestras, and often on viola with chamber groups. When in high school, Mr. Whatley was selected as a member of the TMEA All-State Orchestra on viola. Now, he is an active member of the Texas Music Educators Association and the Texas Orchestra Directors Association, and has recently served as the Orchestra Division Chair and also the Junior High/Middle School Orchestra Coordinator for TMEA Region 23, and the Middle School Orchestra Coordinator for TMEA Region 26.
Mr. Whatley currently lives in Cedar Park, TX with his wife Colleen (also an orchestra director), their identical twin sons, Reilly and Connor, and their daughter, Nora. He enjoys mountain biking, running, and hiking with his family in his spare time.
CANYON VISTA MIDDLE SCHOOL
Ragan Whatley is the Orchestra Director at Canyon Vista Middle School. He previously taught orchestra in the Katy Independent School District (Katy, TX) and in the Houston Independent School District (Houston, TX). His Orchestras are consistent UIL Sweepstakes Winners, and are frequent winners of “Best in Class” and “Best Overall” awards at state music festivals. In addition, his orchestras have been named as National Winners of the Foundation for Music Education's Mark of Excellence Award.
Mr. Whatley is a graduate of the University of North Texas, where he received his Bachelors Degree in Music Education with an emphasis in Instrumental Studies. While at UNT, Mr. Whatley studied viola with Dr. Susan Dubois and conducting with Dr. Clay Couturiaux. He also performed in the UNT Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Anshel Brusilow.
As a violist, Mr. Whatley has performed with various Texas orchestras, and often on viola with chamber groups. When in high school, Mr. Whatley was selected as a member of the TMEA All-State Orchestra on viola. Now, he is an active member of the Texas Music Educators Association and the Texas Orchestra Directors Association, and has recently served as the Orchestra Division Chair and also the Junior High/Middle School Orchestra Coordinator for TMEA Region 23, and the Middle School Orchestra Coordinator for TMEA Region 26.
Mr. Whatley currently lives in Cedar Park, TX with his wife Colleen (also an orchestra director), their identical twin sons, Reilly and Connor, and their daughter, Nora. He enjoys mountain biking, running, and hiking with his family in his spare time.
EMILY HORNBAKE
GRISHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL/CANYON VISTA MIDDLE SCHOOL
Emily Hornbake received her B.M. in Viola Performance from UNC School of the Arts and her M.S. in Music Education from Indiana University. She also attended New York University and studied in Prague, CZ. Ms. Hornbake's primary viola teachers include Sheila Browne and Dr. Brenda Brenner.
Ms. Hornbake has had the opportunity to travel to Alaska, Europe, Michigan, and Idaho as both a performer and a teacher. While a student, she was able to perform in diverse ensembles, including orchestra, chamber music, opera, ballet, and recordings for film scores, pop music, and video game soundtracks.
Her teaching experience includes four years in Katy ISD, where her students regularly found success at UIL Contest and Sight Reading, Solo and Ensemble, and other festivals. She also worked with the prestigious Indiana University String Academy and the Fairview String Project while attending graduate school.
Emily and her husband recently relocated to the Austin area and enjoy hiking, travelling, and spending time outdoors with family and friends. They welcomed their first child, Lillian, in December 2019 and are enjoying getting to know their new addition!
GRISHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL/CANYON VISTA MIDDLE SCHOOL
Emily Hornbake received her B.M. in Viola Performance from UNC School of the Arts and her M.S. in Music Education from Indiana University. She also attended New York University and studied in Prague, CZ. Ms. Hornbake's primary viola teachers include Sheila Browne and Dr. Brenda Brenner.
Ms. Hornbake has had the opportunity to travel to Alaska, Europe, Michigan, and Idaho as both a performer and a teacher. While a student, she was able to perform in diverse ensembles, including orchestra, chamber music, opera, ballet, and recordings for film scores, pop music, and video game soundtracks.
Her teaching experience includes four years in Katy ISD, where her students regularly found success at UIL Contest and Sight Reading, Solo and Ensemble, and other festivals. She also worked with the prestigious Indiana University String Academy and the Fairview String Project while attending graduate school.
Emily and her husband recently relocated to the Austin area and enjoy hiking, travelling, and spending time outdoors with family and friends. They welcomed their first child, Lillian, in December 2019 and are enjoying getting to know their new addition!
