Band Directors

Justin Allen has served as Director of Bands at Galena Park Middle School since fall of 2016. He directs the Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, teaches beginner woodwinds, and assists in teaching Symphonic Band. In his first year as director the Wind Ensemble made campus history by being the first band at GPMS to earn a varsity-level sweepstakes at UIL. Since then they have continuously earned sweepstakes at UIL and earned several honors at Gator Music Festival. In 2024 the GPMS Wind Ensemble made district history by being the first band in GPISD to advance to state in the prestigious TMEA Honor Band process. 

Prior to joining the southside cluster in GPISD, Mr. Allen taught at Lake Olympia Middle School in Fort Bend ISD. During his three years there his students earned several awards at UIL and Director's Choice competitions. During his time in Fort Bend he served as the director of the Rosenberg Symphonic Band, a local community ensemble. 

Mr. Allen earned both his B.M. in Music Education and his M.M. in Conducting from Stephen F. Austin State University. During his graduate studies he worked as a teaching assistant for both the band and music history departments. He aided in marching band and pep band rehearsals, rehearsed and guest conducted all four concert bands, toured with the Orchestra of the Pines as a guest conductor, and directed various student-led chamber groups. While there he revived the Nacogdoches Community Band and served as its director for two years until he moved back to Houston. 

While not teaching Mr. Allen enjoys reading, playing video games, watching movies (especially horror films), and playing with his two cats, Stormy and Voss. 

Mr. Dawkins is the Percussion Director at Galena Park High School. His responsibilities include directing the Band of Gold Percussion Section and Percussion Studio at Galena Park High School as well as assisting with the performing concert ensembles at Galena Park High School, as well as teaching beginning percussion at Galena Park Middle School and Woodland Acres Middle School. 

Prior to joining the Band of Gold, Mr. Dawkins served for nine years as percussion director for the Aldine High School Band in Houston, Texas. Under Mr. Dawkins’s direction, The Aldine High School percussion studio has been consistent Texas State Solo & Ensemble Contest participants receiving excellent and superior ratings, as well as being awarded superior and best in class at the winter park ski festival and was an invited performance ensemble at Jones Hall as well as consistently ranked in the top of their class at Texas Color Guard Circuit Scholastic Concert Percussion events as well as the TCU Percussion Festival. Under his direction the Aldine High School Drumline has been a consistently invited performance group to many events including The Chevron Houston Marathon, The Aldine Children’s Festival, Houston Camp Gladiator Stadium Take Over, The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Parade, as well as many other events around the City of Houston.

Mr. Dawkins is also in his second year as the front ensemble caption coordinator for the Raiders Drum and Bugle Corps from Princeton, New Jersey. Leading all aspects of the front ensemble including education, design, music, and electronic design.  

Mr. Dawkins is a native of Spring Texas, and a graduate of Spring High School. During his four years at Spring High School, he was under the percussion direction of Rick Rodriguez and J.D. Guzman. During his time at Spring, the Spring Band was a consistent state finalist and semifinalist in the 2011 B.O.A. Grand Nationals Competition in Indianapolis, Indiana. After graduation, Mr. Dawkins went on to study at Lone Star College and the University of Houston to major in Business Administration then going back to attend Lone Star College to obtain his music degree studying under Dennis Eichler and Dr. Dave Faber.  

He is an active arranger, musician, and performer in the Houston and Austin areas. Performing within the Capital of Texas and with groups including the Echo Orchestra, Lone Star Wind Symphony and Symphony North of Houston, where he served as principal percussionist. Mr. Dawkins is a Salyers Percussion and Encore Mallets Educational Artist as well as being professionally affiliated with Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, The Percussive Arts Society and Texas Color Guard Circuit.