Bluebonnet Philharmonic Orchestra

Conor Brace is a composer and trumpet player from Austin, Texas. Conor has always been fascinated by music’s ability to tell stories. Originally a jazz musician, he performed as a trumpet soloist and wrote for big bands and other groups while obtaining his Master’s Degree in Jazz Composition at the University of Texas at Austin.

As he was finishing up his degree, Conor began studying traditional orchestration along with media music production. Collaborating with student filmmakers and game developers became a new obsession, and it provided an opportunity for combining jazz/pop sensibility with the emotive power of the orchestra. Conor currently lives in Liberty Hill with his wife Whitney, who runs Liberty Hill Pharmacy, and their daughter Brienne, who thinks they are both very silly.

K. Trey Thompson is a young conductor based in Waco, Texas. Trey began playing the viola at age 11, and conducting at 18. For his undergraduate degree studies, Trey attended Baylor University where he studied Instrumental Music. During his time as an undergraduate, Trey traveled extensively, performing as a violist. As a violist, he has performed on both coasts of the United States as well as throughout Germany and the Middle East with such groups as the Baylor Symphony Orchestra, Baylor Opera Theatre, National Music Festival, Norddeutsche Orchesterakademie, Temple Symphony Orchestra and as a featured soloist with the Baylor Campus Orchestra.

As a conductor, Trey has worked with the Baylor Symphony Orchestra, Baylor Campus Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony and Central Texas Musical Arts. Currently, Trey has obtained his Master of Music degree under the tutelage of Maestro Stephen Heyde of the Waco Symphony orchestra. Additionally, Trey has studied with Kiril Stankow, Kapellmeister at the Staatstheater Kassel, and Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Conductor Laureate of the Fort Worth Symphony.

When not engaged in musical activities, Trey enjoys his role as a church musician and escaping to the great outdoors as often as he can.

Season 3 (2023 - 2024) Conducting Fellow

Brianna is a middle school band director in Austin, Texas. She began her musical career by playing clarinet and bass clarinet in middle school. Brianna showed an interest in conducting in high school and became drum major her senior year. She studied music education at the University of West Georgia where she participated in the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Woodwind Ensemble, and she was the drum major of “The Sound That Lights The South” UWG Marching band. Brianna attended conducting clinics at Columbus State University two years in a row and took every conducting opportunity she could. She has conducted two different high school groups on multiple occasions and one middle school. Brianna also has a lot of experience working with high school marching bands. She has been a visual instructor, clarinet instructor, and drum major instructor. Brianna has taught music to all ages from younger than pre-k to 18 years old and she believes that conducting instrumental musicians is her calling. Brianna has been married to her high school sweetheart, King, since 2021 and they’ve been together since 2014. They share 3 fur babies Prince, Bentley, and Dakota. In their free time they all enjoy bingeing shows, playing video games, and cooking new recipes.

Kalyn Williams *
Cathy Anderson
Georgia Denney
Amanda Frazier
Chelsi Jacobson
Gena Lewis
Kiara Matheny-Daniel
Maryann Norman
Kenia Santiago
Adela Uchida

Dorris Smith *
Jennifer Skoviera Brownlee
Beth Doughty
Sam Gray
Ericka McDonald
Emma Strub
Lisa Ward

Noah Richart
Reid Ronsonette

Charlie Bass *
Sofia Barbarena
Mary Jackson (+English Horn)

Karen Vest *
David Lewis (+Bass Clarinet)
Felisha Reza
Danny Snyder (+ Eb Clarinet)

Joe Collins *
Don Lavigne *
Lindsey Carlson
Jimmy Dirienzo
Cooper Fryar
Jeff Gonzales
Amy Murray
Genevieve Rucker

Bill Bunker *
David Waldo *
Mike Shirley
Timothy Wingfield (+Euphonium)

Dean Boyles *
Gary Frock
Frank Simon
Lisa Zuniga

Kevin Kinney *