Directors

The 2025-2026 school year marks Katy Bratton’s 17th year at Hill Country Middle School.  She is a longtime Austinite who attended Forest Trail Elementary in Eanes ISD, Covington Middle School and LBJ High School (LASA) in Austin ISD, and the University of Texas at Austin (Hook ‘em, Horns!).

After earning her Bachelor of Music from The University of Texas at Austin in 2009, Mrs. Bratton began her teaching career as the assistant choir director at Hill Country and West Ridge Middle Schools.  In 2011, she took on the Head Director role and has been a proud HCMS Cougar ever since!  In 2013, she received a Master of Education in Secondary Education from Texas State University, in partnership with Eanes ISD.

At Hill Country, Mrs. Bratton has served as Cheerleading sponsor, FCA sponsor, and on various committees, including the Campus Leadership Team, PBIS Committee, and Eanes ISD Teacher Advisory Group.  She is currently the HCMS Electives Department Head.  She was given an Eanespiration Heroes Award by Eanes ISD in 2019, and in 2021-2022 she was deeply honored to be selected by her peers as Hill Country’s Educator of the Year.

Under Mrs. Bratton’s direction, the choirs from Hill Country Middle School consistently receive the highest ratings at UIL Concert and Sight Reading Evaluations as well as Best In Class and Overall Outstanding awards at area festivals.  Many students from Hill Country Choir are also selected for the audition-only TMEA Region 32 Treble and Tenor Bass Choirs in 7th and 8th grade.

Mrs. Bratton is a member of Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, and Texas Choral Directors Association, and she regularly travels around the state of Texas as a judge and clinician.  She has been married to her husband Forrest for 16 years, and they have two sons who attend Hill Country and Cedar Creek Elementary.  She is delighted to be a part of this amazing community as a parent and a teacher, and excited to begin another great year of singing at HCMS!

Originally from Southern Ohio, Matthew Radford is excited to return to Eanes ISD for another great school year!  This year, Mr. Radford will teach at both Westlake High School and Hill Country Middle School.

Mr. Radford attended the University of Dayton (U.D.) in Dayton, Ohio where he pursued his degree in Choral Music Education.  While at U.D., he was a member of the Collegiate Chorale, World Music Choir, Early Music Ensemble, Remedy (pop a cappella), Opera, the Pride of Dayton Marching Band, and various chamber ensembles.  In 2015, he competed in the Harmony Sweepstakes National A Cappella finals in San Francisco, California.  

Upon competition of his degree at U.D., Mr. Radford taught K-12 music in Lancaster, Ohio.  After one short year, he returned to his Alma Mater in Waverly, Ohio.  At Waverly High School, he conducted the Women’s Chorus, Madrigal Singers, Concert Choir, and Polarity (pop a cappella). In addition, he directed the spring musicals and managed the recording studio. In 2019, Mr. Radford had the honor of directing, Polarity, who placed 3rd in the Harmony Sweepstakes National A Cappella competition. Later that year, Polarity released their first studio album, recorded entirely at Waverly High School. 

In 2022, Mr. Radford completed his Masters of Music Degree in Choral Conducting at Bowling Green State University.  At BGSU, Mr. Radford taught Choral Techniques to undergraduate music majors.  An advocate of pop a cappella, technology, and contemporary choral arranging, Mr. Radford’s arrangements can be heard on stages across the country.

In his free time, Mr. Radford enjoys producing music in the studio, binging Netflix shows, spending time with his wife, Alyssa, and their cats, Lily and Marshall.