Directors & Staff
Thomas Turpin is currently the Director of Bands at Westwood High School in Austin, Texas. Prior to his appointment as Director of Bands, he served as both Associate and Assistant Director at Westwood. During his time at Westwood, Mr. Turpin has taught all four concert ensembles, and all three symphony orchestras, leading each group to consistent UIL Sweepstakes ratings in Concert and Sightreading Evaluations. Mr. Turpin has also served as the Marching Band Director for the Westwood Warrior Marching Band.
Before coming to 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, having grown up there, where he attended Athens High School and The University of Alabama for his secondary 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.” He also played French horn in the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic 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 Texas Music Adjudicators Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Phi Beta Mu. In his spare time, Mr. Turpin loves hanging out with his dog Tucker, traveling, being a self-proclaimed “foodie”/amateur Patisserie connoisseur, and working for local Austin charities like Austin Pets Alive!.
Brittany Dacy is a Westwood High School class of 2004 graduate, and she returned to the home of the Warriors as Assistant Band Director in the fall of 2015. In 2018, she was named the Associate Director of Bands. Her responsibilities now include working with the marching band, as well as conducting the Wind Symphony and the Philharmonic Orchestra. Before joining the team at Westwood, Mrs. Dacy was an Assistant Band Director at Rouse High School for six years, where she conducted the Concert Band, Jazz Band, and assisted with the marching band.
Mrs. Dacy received her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from The University of Texas at Austin in 2009. During her time at UT, she performed with the University of Texas Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and University Orchestra. Mrs. Dacy is a French horn player and a former member of the UT LongHORN Choir and Longhorn Band. She especially enjoyed her time with the Longhorn Band during the 2005 National Championship season. Mrs. Dacy completed her Masters in Band Conducting in 2017 through the Sam Houston State University's American Band College summer program.
Mrs. Dacy has continued her love of French horn playing by teaching private lessons and performing around Texas in the Austin Symphonic Band, Classics N’ Jazz Brass Quintet, and Symphony of the Hills. Mrs. Dacy has been a coordinator for the Longhorn Music Camp (LMC) at UT Austin every summer since 2011, and an LMC Camp counselor from 2005-2010. Professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), Texas Bandmasters Association (TBA), Tau Beta Sigma, and Kappa Delta Pi.
Brandon Winters joined the Westwood High School Band as an Assistant Director in the fall of 2018. He served as an Assistant Director for two years at Mendez Middle School, teaching beginning brass and percussion, as well as conducting the Symphonic II Band. Under his direction, the second band earned the highest scores in school history. Mr. Winters was also a marching tech at Westwood in 2014 for the “Fore!” show. Most recently he served as the Assistant Director at Hays High School for three years. During that time, he conducted the Concert Band, Symphonic II Band, Jazz Band, and coordinated all aspects of the Rebel Marching Band. The Symphonic II Band earned a sweepstakes rating for the first time in school history and continued to do so for two consecutive years under his direction.
Mr. Winters is originally from San Antonio, Texas where he received his Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). While attending UTSA, he performed as the principal trumpet player in the Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Pit Orchestra, and even had the opportunity to perform with the rock band, Kansas. He is also a member of the Texas Bandmasters Association (TBA), Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
Mr. Winters competed in Drum Corps International for three years, including his age out year (2008) when he performed with The Cavaliers when they placed 3rd in the DCI World Championships.
Mr. Winters’ wife Anna is excited to return to her Alma Mater, as she was part of the Westwood Band Class of 2005. They recently celebrated the birth of their second son, who joins his big brother, and are excited to have moved into such a supportive community.
Mikey Sheeran graduated from Texas State University in the spring of 2018 with a Music Education degree, and is currently on staff at Rhythmic Force Percussion, and The Guardians Drum and Bugle Corps. Mr. Sheeran is a Round Rock native, being a member of the first graduating class at Cedar Ridge High School. He is a founding member and the first Percussion Captain of the Guardians Drum and Bugle Corps, and has also marched with Genesis Drum and Bugle Corps, The Spirit of Atlanta, The Crossmen, Imperial Percussion Theater and aged out with Monarch Independent as the Ensemble Captain. Mr. Sheeran has helped great percussion programs across the state, including Cedar Ridge High School, Steele High School, Weiss High School, and Hendrickson High School. Mr. Sheeran is a proud endorser of Salyers Percussion Products.
Chris Josey serves as the Color Guard Director for the Westwood Warrior Band. Prior to his appointment at Westwood, he served as music and visual coordinator and director of the Color Guard/Winter Guard programs for the eight-time Florida State class champion Santa Fe High School Raider Regiment. He was a member of the University of Central Florida Marching Knights, Wind Ensemble, and Symphony Orchestra. He was also the Principal Bassoonist in the University of Florida Wind Symphony.
Mr. Josey has served as a music and visual clinician for multiple marching and symphonic programs throughout Florida, Georgia, and Texas. He has worked for the Music ‘n Motion summer auxiliary camp as drum major clinician and the All-Star Music Festival as an event staff coordinator. Chris was a member of the 2002 DCI Open Class Champion and World Class finalist corps Magic of Orlando. He was also a member of the Winter Guard International (WGI) World Class finalist Northeast Independent Winter Guard in 2006 and 2007.
Mr. Josey has helped the Westwood Color Guard program grow to over 30 members. In 2015, both the Varsity and Junior Varsity indoor teams were the Texas Color Guard Circuit class champions. In 2018, the Westwood Varsity Winter Guard was a WGI Scholastic A class finalist at World Championships in Dayton, Ohio.