Welcome to the Band Department of Liberty Hill High School. The Instrumental Music (Band) Department at Liberty Hill High School enrolls 160 students from the 9th through 12th grades who study with a dedicated teaching faculty as well as private lesson instructors.
Panther Band Core Values:
Respect yourself, others, and the Panther Band.
Be on time.
Be an example both inside and outside of the band hall.
Go above and beyond expectations.
Joshua Muñoz
Director of Bands: Director of the Wind Ensemble, Director of the Marching Band, Program Direction and Administration
512.260.5525 jmunoz2@libertyhill.txed.net
Mr. Muñoz joined the staff at Liberty Hill High School in 2023 and is in his twelfth year teaching overall. In addition to conducting the Wind Ensemble, Mr. Muñoz assists with the Wind Symphony and coordinates the marching band.
In 2012, Mr. Muñoz earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Studies from Texas State University, graduating cum laude. His Texas State mentors include Dr. Mary Ellen Cavitt, Dr. Caroline Beatty, Dr. Amy Simmons, and Professor Raúl I. Rodríguez. While at Texas State, Mr. Muñoz performed with the Symphonic Band, Bobcat Marching Band, Tuba/Euphonium Studio Ensemble, and numerous brass quintets.
Mr. Muñoz most recently completed a Master of Music Education from Texas Tech University in the summer of 2021. While studying at Tech, he focused his studies on issues directly related to the classroom: conducting and score study, classroom management, the unique history of the wind band and its evolving repertoire, and equity across student musicians and performing ensembles statewide. He is incredibly grateful to have been under the tutelage of Dr. Janice Killian, Dr. Eric Allen, Dr. Keith Dye, and Dr. Jacqueline Henninger.
An active participant in Drum Corps International, Mr. Muñoz marched tuba from 2007-2010 with the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps, of Canton, Ohio. While at the Bluecoats, the corps was a consistent DCI finalist and earned the bronze medal, a first for the corps, in 2010.
Mr. Muñoz has continued his association with DCI by teaching on the brass staff of the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps (2012-2016) and most recently with the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps (2019-present). At the Boston Crusaders, Mr. Muñoz focuses on low brass instruction, specifically with the tuba section.
Prior to joining the staff at Liberty Hill High School, Mr. Muñoz taught at Stony Point High School and spent six years at McNeil High School, where he taught the Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band Blue, team taught all other ensembles, and was the marching director in the fall. Under his direction, the McNeil Marching Band won their first caption award at a Bands of America Regional, advanced to the UIL Area D Marching Finals for only the second time in the school’s history, and the Wind Symphony was a Commended Winner in the Citation of Excellence in 2018.
Mr. Muñoz started his teaching career at Canyon Ridge Middle School in Austin, TX where he taught the Concert Band, Jazz Band, Eagle Brass Quintet, team taught all other ensembles, and was responsible for the overall direction of the brass program. His bands are consistent UIL Sweepstakes recipients and in December 2014, the Canyon Ridge Middle School Honor Band performed at the Midwest Clinic, an International Band and Orchestra Conference.
Ashlynne Turner
Assistant Director of Bands: Director of the Wind Symphony, Private Lesson Coordinator
512.260.5525 aturner@libertyhill.txed.net
Ms. Turner is the Assistant Director of the Liberty Hill Panther Band. She was born and raised in the Dallas, TX area until moving to Arkansas for college where she graduated with a degree in Music Education from Ouachita Baptist University.
While there she was part of the Wind Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Craig Hamilton, participating in many different woodwind ensembles, musical pit productions, and performing in a college honors band that played for All-State high school musicians.
Ms. Turner is a proud mom of her puppy Hazelnut and loves all things ducks!
Justin Zimerman
Director of Percussion: Director of All Percussion Activities - Grades 6-12, Transportation Coordinator
512.260.5525 jzimerman@libertyhill.txed.net
Mr. Zimerman earned his Music Education Degree from the University of Houston, where he performed with the Wind Ensemble under the Direction of Tom Bennett and the Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Franz Anton Krager. He also was a member of the Percussion Ensemble under Dr. Blake Wilkins and had the honor of performing in a showcase concert at PASIC 2006. Mr. Zimerman was a marching member of Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps in 2004.
Before coming to Liberty Hill, Mr. Zimerman was Percussion Director/ Assistant Director at several schools in the Houston area. Ensembles under the direction of Mr. Zimerman have performed at the Music For All National Percussion Festival in Indianapolis and the TMEA Convention in San Antonio.
Under his direction, bands have advanced to the UIL Texas State Marching band contest 5 times, including 2 finals appearances, along with winning several outstanding percussion awards at various contests.
Mr. Zimerman is a Percussion Education Artist with Innovative Percussion, and his professional affiliates are The TMEA and The Percussive Arts Society. Mr. Zimerman lives in Bertram, Texas with his wife, Emily, and their daughter.
Evan Turner
Color Guard Director
512.260.5525 eturner@libertyhill.txed.net
Mr. Turner was born and raised in Windber, Pennsylvania, where he started color guard and competed from grades 6-12 in Tournament of Indoor Associations. Because of color guard, Evan also started taking Ballet, Jazz, and Lyrical classes at A Dancers Haven dance studio to grow his ability. He also performed with the School Chorus, County Chorus and the Drama club and Musicals.
After graduating, he went on tour and competed in DCI, marching in the color guard of the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps from 2009 - 2012. Following his first year of Cadets, he went on to compete in WGI with Blessed Sacrament World Guard from 2010-2016. Evan then decided to make dance his full time career, attending and graduating from the University of the Arts in 2013, with his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Modern Dance Performance.
Since college he has performed with several reputable dance companies; Arcos Dance, Contemporarily Out of Order Company, Street HYpE, Norwegian Cruise lines, and Diavolo Architecture in Motion.
In between performing contracts, Evan has been teaching and choreographing for a wide range of ages. He has been honored to work with several dance studios in the Boston area and color guards across the world. Groups Evan has worked with include: Blessed Sacrament World Guard, Sensations Performance Ensemble in the Netherlands, Relentless World Guard, FIU World Guard, Origins, the Boston Crusaders Drum Corps, and the Cadets Drum Corps. In addition to dance, in 2019 Evan trained in circus arts while living in Los Angeles at Kinetic Theory Circus School. He is also certified through Acrobatic arts to teach Acro Dance.
He moved to Texas in 2020 and now resides in Leander, Texas where he is training and teaching. Evan is very excited to join the Liberty Hill team and grow with the members in this new era of marching arts.