PROGRAM
PRIVATE LESSON TEACHERS
Experienced private instruction to help your students excel
PROGRAM
PRIVATE LESSON TEACHER ROSTER
The Westlake High School Band Program maintains a roster of some of Central Texas' most accomplished instructors and lesson teachers.
BASSOON - DR. SHIH-MIN TANG
Shih-Min Tang is a passionate educator. Dr. Tang has built up a large bassoon studio in the Austin, TX area. She enjoys playing a wide range of genres and in different formats. Dr. Tang was the principal bassoonist for the Richardson Symphony Orchestra (Dallas, TX) for their 2017-2018 season. She also performed with the Victoria Symphony Orchestra, Austin Symphony Orchestra, Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players, Kingsville Symphony Orchestra, and Proart bassoon ensemble (Taiwan). She won second prize in the 2017 “Golden Classical Music Awards” International Competition and performed in Carnegie Hall. She has also received accolades at The Asian Double Reed Society Bassoon Competition and The Texas Young Artist Competition. Her performances have taken her across the world, including concerts in Europe, Asia, and the United States. She also participated in the World Tour of Asia and Europe with The University of Texas at Austin Wind Ensemble as principal bassoonist.
Dr. Tang holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts from The University of Texas at Austin, and a Master of Music from Indiana University of Bloomington.
CLARINET - JULIE LINDER
A proud graduate of Westlake High School, Julie was raised in Austin, Texas and performed and studied clarinet performance music in Dallas, Chicago and Berlin. A specialist in chamber music and teaching fundamentals, Julie holds degrees in Clarinet Performance from the University of North Texas (BM) and DePaul University of Chicago (MM). At North Texas she learned and experimented with extended techniques in collaboration with the composition department’s student composers and as principal of the contemporary music ensemble and rotating principal of the Wind Ensemble under Eugene Corporon.
In 2008 Julie, like many other performers and athletes, had an injury that affected her ability to play. She began to teach and never looked back. Taught by two respected pedagogues – Dr. James Gillespie and Julie DeRoche – she now teaches in Austin with a particular emphasis on beginners and the fundamental mechanics of playing. Ms. Linder’s teaching philosophy is centered around what she feels are the fundamental aspects of musicianship. These include healthy mechanics of playing, continual refinement of technique, creative expression and serving as an active and positive steward of the music community.
Julie Linder is the founder of Musician Pro Workshops, a company that has produced educational clinics connecting students with high level teachers and performers. Past collaborators include Cory Tiffin (Las Vegas Philharmonic), Boris Allakhverdyan (Metropolitan Opera), Harvey Pittel and Julian Bliss. She also is the director of the clarinet division’s summer camps – Clarinet Pro Workshops. In that role, Julie partnered with Selmer & D’Addario Artist Dawn Marie Lindblade of the University of Central Oklahoma to establish a curriculum that reflects their common core teaching philosophies. Ms. Linder also collaborates with the company’s saxophone faculty helping to guide curriculum development, marketing and expansion.
Ms. Linder teaches privately for some of the most recognized and award-winning band programs in the State of Texas. In 2013 she traveled with the Grisham Middle School band for their third visit to Midwest and performed as a guest soloist on their concert. She is past adjunct Professor of Clarinet at Texas A&M University – Kingsville where she taught applied clarinet, chamber music, and single reed methods. She guest conducted the TAMUK Clarinet Choir on their ICA ClarinetFest Baton Rouge performance in 2014 and helped to organize the inaugural TAMUK Clarinet Day. Julie is also past Adjunct Professor at Concordia University-Texas and current Assistant Adjunct Professor at Austin Community College.
Julie is a D’Addario Woodwind and Selmer Paris Artist. She plays on Selmer Privilege clarinets.
CLARINET & BASS CLARINET- RYAN STOCKHAUSEN
Ryan Stockhausen was appointed Clarinet III & Bass Clarinet with the Austin Symphony Orchestra in 2022. In addition to the Austin Symphony, Ryan plays Principal Clarinet with the Bear Valley Music Festival in California during the summers.
Ryan frequently performs around Central Texas with groups like the Austin Opera, Victoria Bach Festival, Mid-Texas Symphony, and Central Texas Philharmonic. During his undergraduate, Ryan frequently performed with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, where he was an associate member/first-call substitute. As a student, Ryan participated in summer music festivals around the country, including the Texas Music Festival, Round Top Festival Institute, Miami Music Festival, and Interlochen Arts Camp.
Outside of traditional orchestral playing, Ryan is passionate about new music and chamber music. He is a member of the Coltman Competition-winning reed quintet Apophis Reeds. He is also the Principal Clarinet and a board member with Density512, a new-music chamber orchestra that performs around Austin at venues like South by Southwest (SXSW) and KMFA studios. Ryan has worked with numerous well-known composers and can be heard performing contemporary works for orchestra and wind ensemble on Cedille Records and Toccata Classics.
Ryan is a 2020 MM graduate of the University of Texas, where he studied with Jonathan Gunn. He earned his BM from the Chicago College of Performing Arts with John Bruce Yeh. Prior to that, he studied with Douglas Cornelsen of the Detroit Symphony. A Michigan native, Ryan currently resides in South Austin with his wife, Tess, and is the proud teacher of many middle and high school students in Westlake, Austin ISD, and Dripping Springs.
EUPHONIUM - MATTHEW JOURDAN
Matthew Jourdan received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education at Texas Tech University, where he studied euphonium under Dr. Kevin Wass. During his time at Texas Tech, he served as Principal Euphonium in each of the university’s major ensembles and performed with the
Symphonic Wind Ensemble on their 2025 tour to the Texas Music Educators Association Convention in San Antonio, Texas.
Mr. Jourdan's performance experience includes his work with the Matador Brass Tuba-Euphonium Quartet and performing on Bass Trumpet with the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra on their performance of Janáček’s Sinfonietta. In the marching arts, he performed with
the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps from 2022 through his age-out season in 2024, culminating in a World Championship title.
Mr. Jourdan currently serves on the Brass Staff with the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps. He also teaches private lessons and works as a marching tech at several high schools in the Austin area. Outside of work, Mr. Jourdan loves to play disc golf and spend time outdoors.
FLUTE - DR. KATIE GREENWELL WORSHAM
Katie Greenwell Worsham is a flutist based in Austin, with roots in Missouri, Utah, and Texas. Dedicated to creating beautiful music, Dr. Greenwell Worsham is equally committed to helping her students find joy in their musical journey. In her teaching, she employs research-backed methods to foster a growth mindset, enhancing her students' learning, enthusiasm, and resilience. Through effective study of fundamentals and exploration of their unique artistic expression, her private students have achieved top chairs in state and regional bands and orchestras, including the Amarillo Youth Symphony and the WTAMU Youth Band Camp. She coached The Wild West Flutes flute choir in 2022, leading them to win Outstanding Undergraduate Ensemble at the Texas Flute Society Festival.
On stage, Dr. Worsham has performed with The Dallas Opera, The Amarillo Virtuosi, Amarillo Opera, Agarita, Josh Groban, and the UT Wind Ensemble at Carnegie Hall. Since starting her teaching career in 2010, she has served as adjunct faculty at Amarillo College, guest instructor/artist at West Texas A&M University, and athletic bands teaching assistant at the University of Texas at Austin.
Katie holds degrees in flute performance from the University of Texas at Austin (DMA), West Texas A&M University (MM), and Brigham Young University (BM). Her primary teachers include Ebonee Thomas, Helen Blackburn, April Clayton, Katie Tolbert, and RaNae Inghram. She is grateful to her wonderful teachers and is passionate about passing on her knowledge to her students.
FRENCH HORN - SUSAN GLOVER
Susan Glover has taught band in Texas for thirty-eight years. A graduate of the University of Texas, she has taught at Westlake High School, Bedichek Middle School, and finished her teaching career as the Head Band Director at West Ridge MS in Eanes ISD.
Throughout her career, Mrs. Glover’s ensembles have been consistent Texas UIL Sweepstakes recipients as well as named Best in Class at various festivals across the state of Texas. Under her direction, the West Ridge MS Wind Ensemble was invited to perform for the National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis, the Western International Band Conference in Seattle, and the prestigious Midwest Clinic in Chicago. The West Ridge Band program is also a recipient of the John Philip Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Silver Cup for Excellence in Middle School Band Performance.
Her students are successful in individual competitions as well, placing large numbers of students in district and regional honor groups each year. She has helped numerous students achieve membership in the Texas All-State Bands & Orchestras. Former students of Mrs. Glover are now studying at the Eastman and Juilliard Conservatories of Music, many are band directors, and some are professional performers.
Mrs. Glover is a member of the Texas Music Educators’ Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, and the honorary music fraternity, Phi Beta Mu.
OBOE - SARA BROWN
Sara completed her Master’s Degree in Music for Oboe Performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and will be returning to The University of Texas in the fall of 2026 to begin her DMA in Oboe Performance. Primarily an orchestrally-trained oboist, but as a lover of all genres and forms of music, Sara believes music has always and will always carry our lives, our histories, our essence across any division and stretch of time. Sara hopes that through the refinement of her craft and the pursuit of excellence in music and as a member of society, those around her will be inspired, encouraged and cared for.
PERCUSSION - DR. DAVID SAAD
David Saad, a native of Austin and a proud graduate of Westlake High School, is an active performer and educator, giving master-classes, private lessons, and performances throughout Texas and the United States. As a chamber musician, he has collaborated with such groups as So Percussion, Line Upon Line Percussion, and the Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company.
Dr. Saad holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music from Northwestern University and earned his Master’s and Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Texas at Austin. His former teachers include Dr. Thomas Burritt, Tony Edwards, Michael Burritt, She-e Wu, Robert Dillon, and James Ross.
In 2015, Dr. Saad joined La Follia Austin Baroque and the Austin Baroque Orchestra, ensembles dedicated to performing works from the Baroque era on period instruments. As a member of these ensembles, he has performed all over Texas and Louisiana and accompanied performers such as Brian Shaw, Keith Womer, Go Yamamoto, and Anton Nel.
In Austin, TX, Dr. Saad manages a thriving studio of more than thirty percussionists, with students consistently earning placement in Region and All-State performing ensembles. Former students have studied or are currently pursuing degrees in percussion at Northwestern University, Texas Tech University, the Juilliard School, The University of North Texas, The University of Texas at Austin, and the Eastman School of Music.
Dr. Saad has performed all over the United States as well as in Japan, Taiwan, China, and the United Kingdom. Additionally, he has performed at the North-Central CBDNA Conference, Texas Music Educators Association Convention, and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention on multiple occasions. He is also a sponsored artist with Innovative Percussion.
SAXOPHONE - DAN BECHDOLT
Dan Bechdolt is an award-winning musician, composer/arranger and educator who has lived in Austin, TX for the past 25 years. Mr. Bechdolt grew up in Southern California but relocated to Denton, TX to study, on full scholarship, at the world-renowned University of North Texas School of Music where he received his Bachelor’s of Music in Jazz Studies – Performance in 2000. While at UNT, Bechdolt was a member of the 3 O’Clock Lab Band and studied under Woody Witt, Dr. Eric Nestler, Will Campbell, Jay Miglia, Jim Riggs, Dan Haerle, Mike Steinel, Keith Javors, and Alan Baylock.
While in Denton, Bechdolt co-founded the soul-funk band Mingo Fishtrap. For over 30 years, the band performed in more than 40 U.S. states, The Caribbean and Europe alongside greats such as Sting, Snarky Puppy, Delbert McClinton, Sheryl Crow, Lyle Lovett, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Blues Traveler, Earth Wind & Fire, Trombone Shorty, & Parliament Funkadelic, among many others. Currently, Mr. Bechdolt is recording and performing with the Grammy Award-winning Grupo Fantasma, Brownout, Spoon, Jimmie Vaughan, Fastball, the NOW Jazz Orchestra & Red Young, among many others. Mr. Bechdolt is also an in-demand studio musician who has recorded for countless projects, including for film soundtracks and television.
For the past 21 years, Mr. Bechdolt has taught saxophone with an emphasis on saxophone pedagogy in the classical & jazz traditions in Round Rock ISD, Eanes ISD and the surrounding Austin area. Every year, Mr. Bechdolt’s students receive recognition at the state and national level for their excellence. In 2021, Mr. Bechdolt was a Foundation For Music Education Honoree. In 2024, Mr. Bechdolt’s student-lead quartet from McNeil H.S. was invited to perform at the prestigious Midwest Band Clinic in Chicago. In addition, he serves as the Director of the McNeil H.S. Jazz Orchestra, and has increasingly been sought after as a clinician and masterclass instructor.
TROMBONE - DR. BILLY GAYMAN
Billy Gayman, Bass Trombonist, is currently the Bass Trombonist with the Round Rock Symphony Orchestra, and Professor of Trombone at Austin Community College. He is a founding member of the Austinbones trombone quartet, as well as the Austin City Brass Ensemble. In addition, he has also performed with the Austin City Brass quintet since 1998. Billy is a freelance performer and private instructor in the central Texas area. He and his family reside in Round Rock.
Prior to moving to Austin, Billy graduated from Azle High school, and then attended the University of Texas at Arlington. While at UTA, Billy served as a member of the Trombone Choir, winners of the 1995 International Trombone Association’s Emory Remington Award. In 1998, he graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Theory and Composition.
After graduating from UTA, Billy moved to Austin to enroll in the graduate music program at UT, serving as the trombone studio teaching assistant from 2000-2004. While at UT he earned his Masters degree in performance in 2000, and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in 2004. During his time at UT, He has served as a member of UT Trombone Choir, winners of the 2002 International Trombone Association’s Emory Remington Award. In the fall of 2000, Billy served as leader and a founding member of the award winning UT Jazz Bones, winners of the 2001 International Trombone Association’s Kai Winding Award.
As a Tenor and Bass trombonist, Dr. Gayman has performed across the United States and beyond at venues such as the International Trombone Festival, Eastern Trombone Workshop, New York Brass Conference, Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, Texas Music Educators Association conference, College Band Directors National Association Convention, Texas Trombone Symposium, as well as the Brazilian Trombone Festival at Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos. He has performed with several professional orchestras, including the Fort Worth Symphony, Austin Symphony, Abilene Philharmonic, San Angelo Symphony, as well as several regional orchestras. Dr. Gayman has also performed with several jazz groups in the central Texas area.
Billy’s trombone playing has greatly benefited from the vast musical knowledge of Nathaniel Brickens, Donald Knaub, Andrew Russell, and Gary Barkey.
TRUMPET - SAMUEL ACOSTA
Samuel Acosta is an accomplished trumpet player and educator born and raised in the Austin area. He began playing trumpet in 2008 and has since built a successful career as both a performer and teacher. Mr. Acosta earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance with a concentration in trumpet from Texas Tech University in 2020, followed by a Master of Music in Trumpet Performance from the University of Texas at Austin in 2022. He is currently pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at UT Austin under the guidance of Professor Caleb Hudson.
Mr. Acosta’s performance experience includes national appearances with collegiate ensembles at venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York City and the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas. He performs regularly with the Steamboat Symphony Orchestra in Colorado and is active as a freelance trumpeter in the Austin area. At UT Austin, he is a frequent performer with the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and Butler Opera Center.
In addition to his performance career, Mr. Acosta has spent the past four years developing a thriving private trumpet studio in the Austin area. His students have achieved recognition in the TMEA All-State process and have earned numerous superior ratings at the Texas State Solo and Ensemble contest.
TUBA - NICHOLAS SCRUGGS
Nicholas Scruggs is a full-time lesson teacher and freelance musician in the Austin area. A Houston native, he attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he received his Bachelor of Music in Tuba Performance in 2024. Throughout his undergraduate degree, Nicholas was a finalist and semi-finalist in solo, orchestral, and chamber competitions every year in the South-Central Regional Tuba-Euphonium Conference and International Tuba-Euphonium Conference. Nicholas hopes to continue inspiring his students in their musical efforts while working towards his career goal of being the tubist in a major symphony orchestra.
Nicholas began his private studio in 2022 and his students have advanced in TMEA All-Region and All-Area competitions, received many Division 1 ratings in the UIL Solo & Ensemble Contest, and competed in the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Festival.