Speakers:  WHS Band - Kerry Taylor, Courtney Assir & Julie Guillot

Mr. Kerry Taylor currently serves as Director of Bands for Westlake High School and Fine Arts Director of Eanes ISD in Austin, Texas. He is also Department Chair of Fine Arts at Westlake High School. Mr. Taylor is in his 36th year as a band director in the Texas public schools; five years in Katy ISD and 31 in Eanes ISD. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree and a Master of Music degree in Applied Conducting, both from the University of Texas at Austin.

Under Mr. Taylor’s direction, the Westlake High School Band is going back to march in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on New Years Day! The WHS has been named ‘Best in Class’ or ‘Runner-up’ at the Buccaneer Music Festival, South Coast Music Festival, MusicFest (Orlando, Fl.) and the DC Festival in San Antonio. The Westlake Band has made concert tours to the Pacific Northwest, Canada and the British Isles. Under Mr. Taylor’s baton, the Westlake Wind Ensemble has performed twice (2002 and 2015) at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, the American Bandmasters Association on March 4, 2006 and the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles on July 8, 2009. In 1997, the John Philip Sousa Foundation presented the Westlake Band with the Sudler Flag of Honor recognizing excellence in concert band over an extended period of time. The Westlake Marching Band has been a Finalist in multiple Bands of America Regionals and Super Regionals and has been a Finalist at the 5A and 6A State Marching Contest-placing in the top 10 on five occasions. On January 2, 2017 the Westlake Chaparral Band performed in the Tournament of Roses Parade in California. This was their second time (2003) to perform in this parade. In 2010, the Sousa Foundation honored the WHS band with the Sudler Shield for excellence in marching. In December 2016, the international honorary band fraternity, Phi Beta Mu, recognized the Westlake Band Program as a first recipient of the Earl Irons “Program of Distinction Award” for excellence in all aspects of a well-rounded band program.

Recently, the UIL honored Mr. Taylor with the “Sponsor Excellence Award.” In 2016 the Texas Bandmasters Association honored Mr. Taylor with the “Meritorious Achievement Award.” He is also the Music Director of the Waterloo Wind Band, a south Austin community concert band.