Band Directors

Justin 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. 

After graduating he began his teaching career at Lake Olympia Middle School in Fort Bend ISD where he taught for three years. While there his bands earned several awards at UIL and various contests. During his time in the area he also served as the director of the Rosenberg Symphonic Band, a local community group.

He is currently in his eighth year as Director of Bands at Galena Park Middle School where he teaches the Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, and Beginner Woodwinds. Under his direction the Wind Ensemble made campus history by being the first band at GPMS to earn a varsity-level sweepstakes at UIL. His bands have won several honors at UIL and Gator Music Festival. While not teaching Mr. Allen enjoys going to the Houston Symphony, reading, playing video games, watching movies (especially horror films), and playing with his two cats, Jude and Stormy. 

Brandon is a trombone/brass player from Hidalgo, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley. He graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor's degree in Music Education. During his time at UNT Mr. Rios performed in the Green Brigade Marching Band, the Concert Band, the UNT 5 O'Clock Lab Band, a variety of chamber ensembles, and a couple of Salvation Army Brass Bands. 

Mr. Rios spent the summers of 2017 and 2018 traveling the U.S. with the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps; during the 2018 season he was the featured trombone soloist for "The Fall and Rise" production. After this Mr. Rios worked with the Prosper marching band in Prosper, TX as well as the Northwest Texan marching band in Fort Worth, TX. 

Mr. Rios teaches the Symphonic Band and Beginner Brass. During his time at GPMS he has helped Symphonic Band earn sweepstakes awards at both UIL and Gator Music Festival. 

He spends a lot of his vacations visiting his family in Reynosa Tamaulipas Mexico, where he also volunteered and taught the Orchestra Symphonica Comunitaria de Reynosa brass section. Mr. Rios enjoys listening to all sorts of music, learning about new tech, building computers, and playing video games.

Fun fact: Mr. Rios has two cats, Johnny and Juanito, and he currently has 7 chihuahuas back home who are being taken care of by his family! 

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.