Texas Bandmasters Association
Bandmasters Review • September 2015
25
that if you and your students are not having a good dose
of fun and joyful times in your day-to-day rehearsals,
something is wrong.
I trust that this article and my words of advice will
help educators avoid the big and small traps that are
out there. After completing my 42 years of high school
band directing in Austin, I have begun a new career as a
motivational speaker and consultant specializing in student
achievement and student leadership. In addition, I offer
performance improvement, morale building techniques,
and leadership tips as a consultant to educational and
business organizations.
I wish you a terrific school year!
Don Haynes can be contacted by email at:
. Website:
.
Don T. Haynes, Jr, served as Director of Bands at LBJ
High School of Austin, Texas for 39 years. He began his
music career at the age of six, tutored by his father, who
was band director at Solomon Coles High School in Corpus
Christi, and his mother, who studied voice at both the
Julliard School in New York and The University of Texas.
As a child, he studied piano, trumpet, French horn, flute,
clarinet, and cello. Following graduation from Roy Miller
High School (Eddie Galvan, Director), he studied at the Del
Mar College School of Music in Corpus Christi, and then
transferred to The University of Texas, where he earned
a Bachelor’s degree in music in 1973 and was a member
of the Longhorn Marching Band (Vincent R. DiNino,
Director). In 1978, he completed a Masters’ degree at UT,
specializing in instrumental music conducting. He was the
Assistant Band Director at Anderson High School for two
years (1973-1975, Verda Herrington, Director), before
being named Director of Bands at LBJ High School in
August 1975.
Mr. Haynes was awarded the prestigious, statewide
Denius Award in 1994, presented to Texas’ top UIL
educators. At LBJ High School, his colleagues selected him
Teacher of the Year four times. He is frequently invited
to conduct region bands in Texas, and has made guest
appearances in New Mexico, Louisiana, and Florida. An
active UIL adjudicator for concert and marching bands
at all levels, Mr. Haynes held Region 18 positions in the
TMEA, the TMEA Advisory Board, and served on the
UIL State Sightreading Advisory Committee. He is Past
President of the Board of Directors for the TBA. On several
occasions, Mr. Haynes has served as clinician at the TMEA
and TBA conventions.
Under his leadership, the Jaguar Band’s awards and
accomplishments are numerous—proudly representing
Texas and the United States in 1996 in the New Year’s Day
Parade in London and toured Paris, France in 2000. The
Band served as ambassadors of music in a tour of Beijing,
China in 2007 with the American-Chinese Cultural
Exchange Committee. The LBJ Bands have won many first
place honors at band festivals in Texas, Florida, Oklahoma,
California, and Colorado. The band consistently wins
Division I and sweepstakes honors at UIL marching and
concert performances. The LBJ Marching Band has made
five appearances at the UIL State Marching Band Contest.
In 2007, a gorgeous new 500-seat theater was built on
the LBJ High School campus. The Austin School trustees
voted to name the new performing heater “The Don
Haynes Theater”.
The Most Common Mistakes Band Directors Make
