Episode 22: Robert Herrings, Director of Bands, Henry Middle School, Cedar Park, TX

The Bandmasters Podcast

Going out of town for Thanksgiving? Our interview with Robert Herrings would make for great listening on that long car ride. Robert has some fantastic advice about objectives in band, what new teachers should do when they don’t know what to do, and programming for every kid in your ensemble.

Mr. Herrings has hands down one of the most impressive bands I have heard. The intro and outro music is Robert’s band performing Candide Suite: The Best of All Possible Worlds arranged by Clare Grundman and Grainger’s Shepherd’s Hey, respectively. You can also search Henry Middle School Band on Youtube for more impressive video and recordings from Robert Herrings and the Henry Middle School Band.

Special thanks to Chip De Stefano for the connection and for co-hosting this interview.

“The biggest shoes you have to fill are your own.”

FULL BIO

Robert Tyrome Herrings, III is entering his fifteenth year of teaching and has been teaching at Henry Middle School in Leander ISD since 2004. Prior to coming to Leander ISD, he was the Director of Bands at Rockdale Junior High in Rockdale, Texas.

In 2003, Mr. Herrings received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he studied under Michael Haithcock, Jeff Grogan, Dr. Kevin Sedatole and Barry Hopper. While in college, Mr. Herrings was a member of the Baylor University performing wind bands, as well as a member of the Baylor University Golden Wave Band.

At Henry Middle School, Mr. Herrings conducts the Honors Band, assists with the Symphonic Band, Concert Band and beginning trombone class. He also teaches beginning flute and trumpet. Mr. Herrings’ bands have consistently received UIL Sweepstakes ratings, as well as unanimous first division ratings, Best In Class, and Overall Outstanding Band honors at festivals around the state. In 2009-2014, the program at Henry earned distinction as a National Wind Band Honors Class AA winner, and in 2008 and 2013, the Henry Middle School Honors Band was selected to perform at the Western International Band Clinic in Seattle, Washington. The program was named the 2010, 2014 and 2018 TMEA Class CCC Honor Band and was also selected to perform at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in 2010, 2012, and 2016. In June 2011, Mr. Herrings and his program were awarded the prestigious John Philip Sousa Foundation Sudler Silver Cup Award, and in July of the same year, Mr. Herrings was named the Phi Beta Mu Outstanding Young Bandmaster of the Year. In 2013, the Texas Chapter of the American School Band Director’s Association awarded the Artie Henry Middle School Band the Outstanding Band Program Award. The Percussion Ensemble at Henry Middle School was selected to perform at the 2014 Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. Most recently, the Henry Middle School Band Program was named the Texas Bandmasters Association's Exemplary Middle School Program of the Year for 2018.

An active clinician and adjudicator around the state, Mr. Herrings is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association and the Texas Music Adjudicators Association. Mr. Herrings also serves as the TMEA Region 32 Middle School Band Chair, as well as the Region 32 TBA representative. He is also a mentor to new-to-profession teachers at Henry Middle School.

Mr. Herrings enjoys motivating young musicians to achieve the highest level of performance by sharing his extreme love and passion for music with them on a daily basis. He feels honored, privileged and extremely blessed to have a loving mother and grandmother, many great mentors, band directors and close friends who have influenced his career thus far.

Above all, his students have been his greatest inspiration!