Our Orchestras

WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, DIRECTOR
​
Joshua Thompson has been the Orchestra Director at Westwood High School in Austin, Texas, since 2017.  The Westwood Symphony Orchestra-one of the finest secondary school orchestras in the nation-features 220 students in six performing ensembles.  The Symphony Orchestra performed at the Midwest Clinic in 2019, was the TMEA Honor Full Orchestra in 2024 and 2026, and was featured on From the Top in 2024.  Previously, Joshua was the Orchestra Director at Shepton High School, in Plano, Texas, where the orchestra was one of three National Winners in the Mark of Excellence/National Orchestra Honors Competition, despite being a campus of only 9th and 10th graders.  He has also taught in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia.  

Joshua holds a Master of Music degree in Music Performance in Instrumental Conducting from the University of Kentucky, where he served as a graduate teaching assistant, and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University.  He has attended conducting workshops around the world, including the International Conducting Workshop and Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria, working with Larry Rachleff and Donald Schleicher, and has also studied conducting with Gary Lewis, Clif Evans, and Jeffrey Grogan.

Originally from Ohio, Joshua first took up trumpet studies with his grandfather, and is an active freelance trumpeter, in high demand as a performer, adjudicator, and clinician.  His guest conducting engagements have included concerts from Texas to Japan and points in between.  When not making music, you can find Joshua trying to relive his glory days as a competitive distance runner, traveling, or reviewing books on YouTube.  

WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Colleen Whatley has been the Associate Orchestra Director at Westwood since 2023. Previously, she was the Head Director at Pearson Ranch Middle School, where she taught for 6 years before stepping into her current role. 

Prior to opening PRMS in 2017, Mrs. Whatley taught in the Katy Independent School District (Katy, TX) and Houston Independent School District (Houston, TX). Currently in her 18th year of teaching, she has taught strings to all grade levels from 1st to 12th grade. Her orchestras consistently receive Superior Ratings at UIL and have received national recognition in the Mark of Excellence/National Orchestra Honors Project by The Foundation of Music Education in 2020, 2023, and 2024.

Mrs. Whatley received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied double bass. She a Past President of the Texas Orchestra Directors Association; an active member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, and Mu Omicron; and has served as a conductor for the Austin Youth Orchestra since 2022. In her time outside of the classroom, Mrs. Whatley enjoys long-distance running, road cycling, and playing music with her husband and children.

CANYON VISTA MIDDLE SCHOOL

Ragan Whatley is the Orchestra Director at Canyon Vista Middle School. Currently in his 17th year of teaching, Mr. Whatley has 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 are regularly named as National Winners of the Foundation for Music Education's Mark of Excellence Award, and consistently rank in the top 3 orchestras in the state of Texas through the TMEA Honor Orchestra Competition. The Canyon Vista Symphony Orchestra most recently was named the 2025 TMEA Honor Full Orchestra.

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.

Mr. Whatley is an active member of the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Orchestra Directors Association, the Texas Music Adjudicators Association, and Mu Omicron. In 2023, Mr. Whatley was named as the Texas Orchestra Directors Association's "Director of Distinction". He has 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. Since 2022, Mr. Whatley has served as the conductor of the Austin Youth Orchestra's Camerata Orchestra.

​Mr. Whatley currently lives in Cedar Park, TX with his wife Colleen (also an orchestra director) their twin sons, Reilly and Connor, and their daughter, Nora. He enjoys mountain biking, long distance running, and hiking with his family in his spare time.  

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.

Prior to working in Round Rock ISD, 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.

Ms. Hornbake is a proud member of the Texas Music Educator's Association (TMEA) and the Texas Orchestra Director's Association (TODA). In 2022, she was honored to receive the TODA Young Educator of the Year Award.

Ms. Hornbake has had the opportunity to travel to Alaska, Europe, Michigan, and Idaho as both a performer and a teacher. She has performed with diverse ensembles, including orchestra, chamber music, opera, ballet, and recordings for film scores, pop music, and video game soundtracks.
​
Emily and her family enjoy hiking, travelling, and spending time outdoors with family and friends. They welcomed their first child, Lillian, in 2019, and their second, Adelaide, in 2024.