directory
Thomas Edwards
Amanda Hearn

Business Manager

Member since 2022

execdirector@austinsymphonicband.org

Amanda Hearn, a Pflugerville native, is the Business Manager and a euphonium player with the Austin Symphonic Band. She combines her love of music with years of experience in nonprofit leadership, project management and operations.

Amanda earned her Bachelor of Music Studies from Texas State University and began her career as a band director at Harper ISD and Leakey ISD. She has also worked as a clinician and drill writer for several schools in the San Antonio area. Before joining the Austin Symphonic Band's leadership team, she served as the Director of Operations for the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps in San Antonio.

Today, Amanda works as a technician at Samsung Austin Semiconductor's Taylor facility. She also proudly served in the U.S. Naval Reserve as an Electronics Technician with a focus on unmanned undersea warfare. She is currently pursuing a second bachelor's degree in Automated Engineering at Austin Community College.

Amanda Hearn
former
ASB Webmaster
Richard Floyd

Director Emeritus

With ASB 1986-2021

Richard Floyd was a formative figure in the band's growth and development. Under his direction ASB grew in size and quality, hosted a busy season of seven annual performances, and appeared at numerous national music conferences and conventions. It won the John Philip Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Scroll for outstanding achievement as a community band in 1994, and was named the Official Band of the City of Austin in 1989.

Floyd has been active as a conductor, music educator and administrator since 1962. He has enjoyed a distinguished and highly successful career at virtually every level of wind band performance from beginning band programs through high school and university wind ensembles as well as adult community bands.

Richard Floyd is a Yamaha Master Educator. He is a recognized authority on conducting, the art of wind band rehearsing, concert band repertoire and music advocacy. As such, he has toured extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe, with engagements in 45 American states and 9 other countries. In 2002 he was the recipient of the prestigious A.A. Harding Award, recognizing significant and lasting contributions to the school band movement. He was named Texas Bandmaster of the Year in 2006, and in 2009 was presented the Texas Music Educators Association Distinguished Service Award. In March 2011 he was inducted into the Music for All Hall of Fame and awarded the prestigious Midwest International Clinic Medal of Honor for distinguished and unique contributions to educational bands and orchestras. Most recently, Floyd was elected to the National Band Association Academy of Wind and Percussion Arts and presented the Kappa Kappa Psi Fraternity Distinguished Service to Music Award.

Retirement Announcement | Clinician | Lecturer

Richard Floyd

staff

Amanda Hearn

Amanda Hearn

Business Manager

Member since 2022

execdirector@austinsymphonicband.org

Amanda Hearn, a Pflugerville native, is the Business Manager and a euphonium player with the Austin Symphonic Band. She combines her love of music with years of experience in nonprofit leadership, project management and operations.

Amanda earned her Bachelor of Music Studies from Texas State University and began her career as a band director at Harper ISD and Leakey ISD. She has also worked as a clinician and drill writer for several schools in the San Antonio area. Before joining the Austin Symphonic Band's leadership team, she served as the Director of Operations for the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps in San Antonio.

Today, Amanda works as a technician at Samsung Austin Semiconductor's Taylor facility. She also proudly served in the U.S. Naval Reserve as an Electronics Technician with a focus on unmanned undersea warfare. She is currently pursuing a second bachelor's degree in Automated Engineering at Austin Community College.

Dr. Kyle Glaser

Dr. Kyle Glaser

Music Director

With ASB since 2022

director@austinsymphonicband.org

Kyle Glaser was appointed as Music Director and conductor for the Austin Symphonic Band in July 2022. He also serves as Professor of Music and Associate Director of Bands at Texas State University, where his responsibilities include conducting the Symphonic Winds, overseeing all athletic bands, and teaching various methods classes. He holds a Doctor of Music degree in wind conducting from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, a Master of Music degree in wind conducting from Rutgers University, and a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Pennsylvania State University. Prior to his appointment at Texas State, Glaser served as the Director of Bands at East Stroudsburg Area South High School in northeastern Pennsylvania and as the interim director of the East Stroudsburg University-Community Concert Band.

Glaser maintains an active schedule as a clinician, guest conductor, and adjudicator across the nation. His significant research of the music of Robert Russell Bennett has resulted in a performance edition of the wind band suite Down to the Sea in Ships, issued by Alfred Publications. He is co-author of the workbook Conducting Enrichment: Daily Exercises for the Conducting Curriculum, published by Sentia Publishing. Additionally, Glaser has contributed several chapters to the GIA Publications Teaching Music Through Performance in Band series. He has also served as the national vice president for professional relations for Tau Beta Sigma, the national band sorority.

Glaser's professional memberships include the College Band Directors National Association, the National Band Association, the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, the National Association for Music Education, the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Bandmasters Association, the International Society for the Research & Promotion of Wind Music, and Phi Beta Mu International Band Fraternity.

He resides in Austin with his wife Suzanne, who is director of bands at Gorzycki Middle School, and their charming daughter Eryn.

Lisa Castleman

Executive Director

With ASB Since 2021

execdirector@austinsymphonicband.org

Lisa Castleman joined ASB staff as Interim Executive Director in September 2021. Known for bringing knowledge, creativity, and passion to her work, she is committed to growing and inspiring today’s youth and audiences with music and firmly believes in the value of community groups like ASB.

Mrs. Castleman brings twelve years of professional experience in secondary and higher education, arts administration, and event coordination. In previous years, she served as adjunct music faculty at Biola University (CA) and Long Beach City College (CA), where she directed various ensembles and taught conducting and music appreciation. Other past positions include Guest Talent Coordinator with Disney Performing Arts (Disneyland, CA), Assistant Production Manager and Gala Coordinator for Chamber Music Northwest (Portland, OR), and Education Associate for the Dallas Brass. In Southern California, she frequently performed as a freelancer, music adjudicator, music coach, guest conductor, guest lecturer, and private clarinet instructor.

Mrs. Castleman has two master’s degrees in wind band and orchestral conducting from California State University, Long Beach, and Portland State University, respectively. She received her bachelor’s in clarinet performance from Biola University. She presently resides in Cedar Park with her husband, son, and two bunnies.

Bill Haehnel

Bill Haehnel

Assistant Music Director

Conductor & Percussion

Member since 1997

asstdirector@austinsymphonicband.org

Bill Haehnel has been in music education for 46 years and is entering his 25th year as Assistant Conductor of ASB. He has served as Assistant to the Director of the University of Texas Longhorn Band and Assistant Conductor of the UT Wind Symphony, and has taught music education classes and undergraduate conducting on the music faculty at UT Austin. He served as the instructor of percussion at Texas Lutheran University and taught percussion method classes at Huston-Tillotson University. Haehnel retired from the classroom in 2013 and now serves in an advisory role to band directors as a clinician and evaluator throughout the United States.

He is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Band Masters Association, the College Band Directors National Association, and the Percussive Arts Society. His marching bands, concert bands, jazz ensembles, steel drum ensembles, and percussion ensembles consistently earned superior ratings at both state and national contests as well as performance exhibitions.

Contact Us

Austin Symphonic Band
PO Box 11535, Austin TX 78711

Deliveries: 111 E 17th Street
Unit 11535, Austin TX 78711

info@austinsymphonicband.org

(512) 956-7420

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