Ryan Johnstone, a trombonist who earned a master of music degree from the Yale School of Music in 2005, has been named the Texas Music Educators Association’s Phi Beta Mu Young Bandmaster of the Year. Johnstone is the band director at Aledo Middle School in Texas.
Johnstone was recognized in San Antonio earlier this month at the Texas Music Educators Association’s annual convention.
According to a Yale School of Music news release, “the Young Bandmaster of the Year award is sponsored by Alpha Chapter (Texas) of Phi Beta Mu, an honorary International Bandmasters Fraternity.”
The Phi Beta Mu website describes that organization as “a non-political, non-profit fraternity organized to promote fellowship among its members, to encourage the building of better bands and the development of better musicians throughout the world, to foster a deeper appreciation for quality wind literature, and to encourage widespread interest in band performance.”
“The Texas Music Educators Association is an organization of over 10,000 school music educators dedicated to promoting excellence in music education,” that organization’s website explains.
“At Aledo Middle School,” the Yale School of Music news release indicates, “Mr. Johnstone conducts the Honor Winds, co-directs the Concert Band, teaches beginner brass students at McAnally Intermediate, coaches brass chamber music, and assists with the Symphonic Winds. … The AMS Honor Winds … have been named a National Winner in the Mark of Excellence National Wind Band Honors Competition and have also been awarded Best in Class at several invitational festivals.”