Directors

Derrick Brookins has served the students and parents in Texas Music Education for more than 25 years. Mr. Brookins’ teaching experience spans a vast range of elementary and secondary choral music, from kindergarten to collegiate. Brookins has served on the faculties of Travis Jr. High in Irving, TX., Williams High School, Plano Senior High School, in Plano, TX and Klein Oak High School, Klein, Tx. Mr. Brookins has also served as a Professor of Choral Music for The University of Texas-Dallas. Mr. Brookins currently serves as Director of Choral Music for Braswell High School, Denton, Tx. A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Mr. Brookins has completed an undergraduate degree in choral music education from the University of North Texas and a Masters of Secondary Education/Administration from Concordia University. He is presently working on his Ph.D. at North Central University.

For thirteen years, Mrs. Brookins studied under and performed with world-renowned choral musician Moses Hogan. As a choral music performer, Mr. Brookins has performed on four continents and for several European royal families and two US Presidents in venues such as the White House and the Sydney Opera House. He is a highly sought-after choral clinician and adjudicator throughout the United States. He has presented several educational workshops for the Texas Choral Directors Association, Texas Music Educators Association, Southwestern American Choral Directors Association, and the National American Choral Directors Association.

Under Mr. Brookins’ direction, Choirs consistently receive Sweepstakes Awards at the UIL contest and are named “Best in Class” at several choral festivals throughout the United States. Mr. Brookins’ choirs have had the honor of being invited to perform and representing the State of Texas at the following conventions: National MENC Convention in San Antonio (2005), the National American Choral Directors’ Association Convention in Miami, FL (2007), Dallas, TX (2013), and Minneapolis, MN (2017). Mr. Brookins’ choirs have been invited twice to perform for the Texas Music Education Association Convention in San Antonio, TX, in 2009 and then again in 2017.

Mr. Brookins has twice been recognized as Teacher of the Year at Williams High School (2000) and again, for Plano Senior High School (2008). Mr. Brookins is a recipient of the Honorary Life Membership Award from the Texas Congress of Parents and Teachers.

Mr. Brookins has served and demonstrated his leadership ability as the Multicultural Choral Music Chair for the Southwester American Choral Directors Association and for the Texas Music Educators Association as the Regional and Area Vocal Chairman position for more than fifteen years. Mr. Brookins has served the membership as the Texas Music Educators Association as the 2017-2019 Texas State Vocal Chairman. Mr. Brookins presently holds professional memberships with the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Choral Directors Association, American Choral Directors Association, and the Texas Music Adjudicators Association.