About Me

Thomas Turpin currently serves as Director of Bands at Westlake High School in Eanes ISD. Prior to his appointment as Director of Bands in 2024, he served as Director of Bands at Westwood High School in Round Rock ISD. During his 15 years at Westwood High School, Mr. Turpin taught the marching band, all four concert ensembles, and all three symphony orchestras, leading each group to consistent UIL Sweepstakes ratings in Concert and Sight Reading Evaluations. The Wind Ensemble at Westwood HS was named a TMEA 6A Honor Band Finalist, a Mark of Excellence Commended and National Winner, and was a performer at the 77th Annual Midwest Clinic in December of 2023. Mr. Turpin also co-conducted the award-winning Westwood Symphony Orchestra, an ensemble that was invited to perform at the 2019 Midwest Clinic and was most recently selected as the 2024 TMEA Honor Full Orchestra. Prior to his time at Westwood, Mr. Turpin served as Assistant Director of Bands at John Paul Stevens High School in San Antonio, Texas, where he coordinated the marching band program and co-conducted all four concert ensembles and the Jazz Band.

Mr. Turpin is a proud native of Alabama, where he attended Athens High School and The University of Alabama for his secondary education, earning both his Bachelors and Master of Arts in Music Education. During his time at The University of Alabama, he served as Section Leader, Drum Major, and Graduate Teaching Assistant of the “Million Dollar Band.” Mr. Turpin was also a member of The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps in 2004 and 2005. Mr. Turpin is an active drill designer for marching organizations across the United States, an ensemble clinician, and a leadership consultant. His professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), Texas Bandmasters Association (TBA), the National Band Association, the Texas Music Adjudicators Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Phi Beta Mu. He has served TMEA as both Region 26 Band Division Chair and Region 26 President. He currently lives in Austin with his husband Dean and their dog Tucker.