Michael Larkin, Director of Bands
LarkinM@lisd.net
LarkinM@lisd.net
Michael Larkin is in his first year as Director of Bands at The Colony High School. Prior to coming to The Colony, he spent six years as Director of Bands at Jupiter High School in Palm Beach County, Florida. During his time at Jupiter High School, the band claimed two state championship marching band titles (2014 and 2015) and finished in the top five each year of his leadership. The concert bands, percussion ensembles, chamber ensembles, jazz ensembles, winter guards, and winter percussion consistently received superior ratings at district and state level assessments. The color guard program grew from 16 to 55 which allowed the program to expand into a Varsity and Junior Varsity guards. The JHS Varsity Winter Guard attended the Winter Guard International World Championships for the first time in 2015 and placed 4th in finals after a 1st place semi-finals placement.
Mr. Larkin received a Master of Music Degree in Music Performance -Trombone from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. At UNCSA he performed with the symphony orchestra, wind ensemble, jazz ensemble and the trombone choir. Prior to attending UNCSA he received a Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. While at UNCG, Mr. Larkin performed with the wind ensemble, jazz band, symphonic band, brass ensemble, undergraduate trombone quartet, and the trombone ensemble.
Mr. Larkin currently serves as the brass caption head for The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps, a position he has held for 3 years. During his 5 total years with The Academy, he played a key role in helping the drum corps make their first appearance in the Drum Corps International World Championships in 2016. He has also served as an instructor for the Boston Crusaders, the six-time world champion Santa Clara Vanguard, as well as the 2007 Division III world champion Memphis Sound Drum and Bugle Corps. He was a member of Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps from 2003 to 2006 and the Santa Clara Vanguard in 2008. Mr. Larkin has taught numerous high school marching bands, concert ensembles, and winter percussion ensembles throughout the country, and has also served as a guest conductor and adjudicator for marching band festivals.
Mr. Larkin has studied trombone privately with James Miller of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and UNCSA, and Dr. Randy Kohlenberg from UNCG. He has also taken lessons from other artists such as Thomas Burge, Irvin Wagner, and Tony Mazzochi. He has studied conducting with Dr. Kevin Geraldi and Mark Norman.
Mr. Larkin is very excited to join the parents and students of The Colony High School and cannot wait to create success!
Mr. Larkin received a Master of Music Degree in Music Performance -Trombone from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. At UNCSA he performed with the symphony orchestra, wind ensemble, jazz ensemble and the trombone choir. Prior to attending UNCSA he received a Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. While at UNCG, Mr. Larkin performed with the wind ensemble, jazz band, symphonic band, brass ensemble, undergraduate trombone quartet, and the trombone ensemble.
Mr. Larkin currently serves as the brass caption head for The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps, a position he has held for 3 years. During his 5 total years with The Academy, he played a key role in helping the drum corps make their first appearance in the Drum Corps International World Championships in 2016. He has also served as an instructor for the Boston Crusaders, the six-time world champion Santa Clara Vanguard, as well as the 2007 Division III world champion Memphis Sound Drum and Bugle Corps. He was a member of Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps from 2003 to 2006 and the Santa Clara Vanguard in 2008. Mr. Larkin has taught numerous high school marching bands, concert ensembles, and winter percussion ensembles throughout the country, and has also served as a guest conductor and adjudicator for marching band festivals.
Mr. Larkin has studied trombone privately with James Miller of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and UNCSA, and Dr. Randy Kohlenberg from UNCG. He has also taken lessons from other artists such as Thomas Burge, Irvin Wagner, and Tony Mazzochi. He has studied conducting with Dr. Kevin Geraldi and Mark Norman.
Mr. Larkin is very excited to join the parents and students of The Colony High School and cannot wait to create success!
.jpg)
Jeff Bridges, Associate Director
bridgesj@lisd.net
Jeff Bridges is Associate
Director of Bands at The Colony High School in The Colony, TX. He is
responsible for conducting the Concert Band, assisting with the marching band
and other ensembles at TCHS, as well as Beginning French Horn at Griffin Middle
School. Prior to his years in The
Colony, he taught at J.J. Pearce High School and Parkhill Junior High School in
the Richardson ISD, and Spring Branch Junior High School in the Spring Branch
ISD of Houston. During his years in
Richardson, his students performed at the Texas Music Educators Association
convention on two occasions, as members of TMEA Honor Bands, in both the B and
AAAA classifications. Mr. Bridges has
also had the pleasure of serving on the brass staff of the Cavaliers Drum &
Bugle Corps of Rosemont, IL and assisting with an international conference on
wind instrument educational techniques in Paris, France. He also had a blast spinning flag and rifle
with Nostalgia Senior Winterguard.
Mr. Bridges graduated from the
University of Houston with a B.M. in Music Education and studied French Horn
under Nancy Goodearl. He was a member of
the prestigious Wind Ensemble under the direction of Eddie Green as well as the
Spirit of Houston Marching Band and Cougar Brass pep band under the direction
of Bill Moffit and Gregory Talford.
Mr. Bridges’ additional interests
include European history, French & Italian language study, world travel, serious
cooking, and playing the guitar. He
resides in Dallas, Texas with his partner Woody and their two cats, Yuki and Shoyu.
Brian Teed, Percussion Director
Terry Hurley, Colorguard Director
