KERRY TAYLOR – Music Director and Conductor
Kerry Taylor has retired as the Director of Bands for Westlake High School and Fine Arts Director for Eanes Independent School District. Mr. Taylor was a band director in Texas public schools for 42 years; five years in Katy ISD and 37 in Eanes ISD. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree and a Masters of Music degree in Applied Conducting, both from the University of Texas at Austin.
Mr. Taylor is active as a clinician and adjudicator in Texas and across the US. He has served the Texas Music Educators Association in many positions including Chairman of the Band Division (2002-2004) and as President (2005-2006) of the 10,000+ member organization. His other professional memberships include Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, Phi Beta Mu, National Band Association, College Band Directors National Association, Kappa Kappa Psi and Phi Mu Alpha. In 2001 Mr Taylor was elected to the membership of the American Bandmasters Association. Mr. Taylor currently serves as co-chair of the ABA Foundation’s Sousa-Ostwald Award for wind band compositions.
Under Mr. Taylor’s direction, the Westlake High School Band 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, the British Isles and Western Europe. Under his direction, the Westlake Wind Ensemble has performed at the 2002 and 2013 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, 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 the concert band program over an extended period of time.
JANA ROBERTSON – Assistant Conductor
Jana Robertson is in her 13th year as a music educator and third year as the Director of Bands at the Ann Richards School. Before coming to Ann Richards, she served as the Assistant Director of Bands at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas. Her duties at Westlake include leading the Chap Jazz program, teaching multiple concert ensembles, assisting with the marching band, conducting the philharmonic orchestra, and overseeing the colorguard program.
Ms. Robertson holds a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While at LSU, she performed as a member of the Golden Band from Tigerland, the LSU Jazz Ensemble, and each of the LSU concert ensembles. Geaux Tigers!
Ms. Robertson is an active member of TMEA and enjoys visiting and working with many programs across the state of Texas. In addition to her work as a concert band clinician, she serves as a clinician for middle school, high school, and TMEA Region jazz ensembles.
Before returning to Westlake, Ms. Robertson was the Associate Director of Bands at Shoemaker High School in Killeen ISD.
Waterloo Wind Band 