Thomas Nelson High names band director

Shawn Robinson, an accomplished musician, music teacher and conductor, will be the first leader for the Thomas Nelson High School music program, the high school announced Thursday.

Shawn Robinson conducts the New Horizons Symphony Orchestra in rehearsal, playing George Bizet's Symphony in C. An accomplished musician, music teacher and conductor, Robinson will be the first leader for the Thomas Nelson High School music program, the high school announced Thursday.

 “He’s a very successful conductor. He’s a very dedicated musician, and first and foremost, he is intent on making great things happen for kids,” said TNHS Principal Wes Bradley in announcing the selection.

For Robinson, the position will amount to somewhat of a homecoming.

 A Kentucky native, Robinson is Director of Bands for Mesilla Valley Christian Schools in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Music Director and Principal Conductor for New Horizons Symphony Orchestra and Las Cruces City Youth String Ensemble.

“The position is such an exceptional opportunity. As a first, I’ll get to set a standard of excellence” for the program, said Robinson, who grew up in Elizabethtown and is a graduate of Central Hardin High School. His wife, Stephanie, grew up in Nelson County and is a graduate of Nelson County High School.

Robinson said he is most excited about the opportunity to build a program from scratch, while returning to Kentucky adds icing to the cake.

 Robinson earned a Bachelor of Music Education at Western Kentucky University and went on to earn a Masters in Instrumental Conducting from New Mexico State University.

A versatile musician and instructor, Robinson has experience working with musicians of many ages, currently including a nine-year-old trumpet player and an 89-year-old cello player.

Robinson also has experience building band and music programs, including the New Horizons Symphony, which started as a small community group that has grown to become full-fledged and well-respected orchestra. Robinson also grew the Mesilla Valley music program to include a marching band, jazz band, wind ensemble, a beginning band and a seventh and eighth grade concert band.

As the first band leader for TNHS, Robinson is happy he will have the opportunity to “do it right from the beginning,” by doing everything from overseeing the purchase of appropriate band equipment to “making sure my people make the right sounds with their instruments” by building up their technique and making sure they can “play deftly and accurately.”

Robinson keeps an active performance schedule and has a long-term goal in Nelson County to “create a symphony and have it perform excellent music.”

For the first year though, Robinson’s goal will be to “create a piece of work the kids can be proud of. I want them to be able to look back on their work and be proud,” Robinson said.

Among his own accomplishments, Robinson is proud to have won a conducting concerto while at Western, and to have been the principal tuba player for a WKU band that toured Russia that year (spring, 2005).

“My principle instrument is an ensemble. It is a difficult instrument to play but very rewarding when it comes together,” Robinson said.