MHI TOUR DIRECTORS

Tour Director, "Star of Southeast Texas"

Andy Easton is currently Director of Bands at Tomball Memorial High School and is on his seventh European tour.  At Tomball Memorial, he conducts the Wind Symphony, Concert Band II, Jazz Band Class, The Roarin’ Blue Band (TMHS Marching Band), TMHS Pit Orchestra, and co-conducts the Symphony Orchestra.  He also serves as Fine Arts Department Chairman. 

Prior to his appointment at TMHS, Mr. Easton taught at Tomball High School and Waller High School.  He is a graduate of Katy High School and holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Texas Tech University.  While at Texas Tech, he studied trumpet with Will Strieder and music education with Keith Bearden and served as President of the Goin’ Band From Raiderland.

Bands under Mr. Easton’s direction have earned several UIL Sweepstakes awards, many Best in Class and Outstanding Performance and Caption Awards, and the United States Marine Corps Esprit de Corps Award.  In their short history, The TMHS Wind Symphony has advanced to the TMEA State Honor Band Contest twice and The Roarin’ Blue Band has competed at the Texas UIL State Marching Band Contest three times.

Mr. Easton has presented professional development sessions in Waller ISD, Tomball ISD, and at the TMEA Clinic and Convention.  He is currently the TMEA Region IX Band Division Chairman.  His professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Jazz Educators Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, Fellowship of Christian Musicians, Kappa Kappa Psi National Band Fraternity, and Phi Beta Mu.

Mr. Easton resides in Tomball, TX with his wife Kim, an Art Teacher in Tomball ISD.  They are blessed with two musical daughters, Arden (oboe) and Kenna (percussion).​  

Tour Directors, "Star of North Dakota"

Since 2013, Mr. Herold has served as the Director of Bands at Legacy High School in Bismarck, ND where he conducts the Wind Ensemble, Freshmen Band, Jazz Ensemble #1, Saber Athletic Band, and the Legacy Marching Sabers. Prior to starting at Legacy High School, Mr. Herold was the Associate Director of Bands at Bismarck Century High School and he taught band at Wayzata Central Middle School in Plymouth, Minnesota. 

Mr. Herold holds degrees from the University of Mary with bachelor degrees in Music Education and Percussion Performance. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Concordia University St. Paul.  

In 2020, Mr. Herold was presented with the distinction of being named the North Dakota Band Directors Association Jazz Educator of the Year. In 2022, the Legacy High School Wind Ensemble was named the North Dakota Governor’s Band.

In addition to his classroom teaching responsibilities, Mr. Herold has been active as a performer and percussion instructor. He has served as the President of the North Dakota Music Educators Association and the North Dakota Band Directors Association. His professional affiliations include the National Association for Music Education, North Dakota Music Educators Association, North Dakota Band Directors Association, North Dakota Educators Association, Phi Beta Mu and the Percussive Arts Society. He also serves as a member of the North Dakota All-State Committee as the chair of the All-State Band.

Mrs. Herold is a practicing licensed massage therapist and with her own business. While living in Minneapolis, she was an executive assistant at two large companies. In high school Mrs. Herold sang in choir and played the flute in band, which is where Mr. and Mrs. Herold met.

Mark and Sarah reside in Bismarck, ND with their two sons Alex and William.. They enjoy traveling, listening to live music and being active as volunteers in their children's activities.

Tour Director, "Star of Montana"

 Kimberly (Kim) Lorengo was born and raised in Great Falls, Montana.  She grew up in a musical family with a mother who taught her to play the piano and three younger sisters with whom she spent many hours together singing.

After graduating from the University of Idaho with her degree in music education, Kim took her first teaching job in Shelby, Montana teaching 6-12 choir.  She spent two years there, and then took her dream job teaching 4-12 orchestra and 7-12 choir in Anaconda, Montana where she has spent the past 24 years.

In addition to teaching, Kim has spent time playing the viola with the Butte Symphony, serving as the Hope Lutheran Church Accompanist and Youth Group Leader, and singing/playing rock-n-roll with the John Andrews Band.  Professionally, she has served as the MHSA Music Committee Orchestra Rep since 2009 and past president of the Montana String Teachers Association, participates as a Teacher Leader with NAfME’s CAN Grant, and most recently holds the position as president of the Montana Music Educators Association.

Although she and her husband, Bryan, are very busy professionals in each of their fields, their greatest accomplishments are their three beautiful children: Logan, 18; Carter, 16; and Kendyl, 14.

Tour Director, "Star of Central Texas"

Thomas Turpin currently serves as Director of Bands at Westlake High School in Eanes ISD. Prior to his appointment as Director of Bands in 2024, he served as Director of Bands at Westwood High School in Round Rock ISD. During his 15 years at Westwood High School, Mr. Turpin taught the marching band, all four concert ensembles, and all three symphony orchestras, leading each group to consistent UIL Sweepstakes ratings in Concert and Sightreading Evaluations.

The Wind Ensemble at Westwood HS was named a TMEA 6A Honor Band Finalist, a Mark of Excellence Commended and National Winner, and was a performer at the 77th Annual Midwest Clinic in December of 2023. Mr. Turpin also co-conducted the award-winning Westwood Symphony Orchestra, an ensemble that was invited to perform at the 2019 Midwest Clinic and was most recently selected as the 2024 TMEA Honor Full Orchestra. Prior to his time at Westwood, Mr. Turpin served as Assistant Director of Bands at John Paul Stevens High School in San Antonio, Texas, where he coordinated the marching band program and co-conducted all four concert ensembles and the Jazz Band. 

Mr. Turpin is a proud native of Alabama, where he attended Athens High School and The University of Alabama for his secondary education, earning both his Bachelors and Master of Arts in Music Education. During his time at The University of Alabama, he served as Section Leader, Drum Major, and Graduate Teaching Assistant of the “Million Dollar Band.” Mr. Turpin was also a member of The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps in 2004 and 2005. Mr. Turpin is an active drill designer for marching organizations across the United States, an ensemble clinician, and a leadership consultant. His professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), Texas Bandmasters Association (TBA), the National Band Association, the Texas Music Adjudicators Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Phi Beta Mu. He has served TMEA as both Region 26 Band Division Chair and Region 26 President.

Tour Director, "Star of Alabama"

Justin P. Ward is currently Director of Bands at Pelham High School (Pelham, AL) and has served in this role since 2014.  Additionally, he is the orchestra director at Asbury United Methodist  Church in Birmingham, AL. 

He previously served as the Associate Director of Bands at Pelham High School from 2011 until 2014 and earlier in his career taught in Myrtle Beach, SC as Director of Bands/Orchestra at Aynor Middle School and the Assistant Director of Bands/Orchestra at Aynor High School. During this time, Mr.  Ward also served on the band staff of Coastal Carolina University.  

Mr. Ward holds a B.S. in Music Education (2005), M.A. (2010) in Music and Secondary  Education, and an Ed.S in Secondary Education and Curriculum Design (2011) from The University of  Alabama. 

Under his direction the Pelham Wind Ensemble has been a featured ensemble at the  2022 & 2018 Alabama Music Educator’s Association In-Service Conference, 2019 Music for All  Southeastern Concert Band Festival, 2017 Kennesaw State University Concert Band Invitational, 2017 UAB Concert Band Invitational, 2016 University of Alabama Honor Band Festival and the 2015  Southeastern United States Concert Band Clinic. While at Pelham, he has earned the National Band Association Citation of  Excellence three times (2016, 2018, 2022) and was also recently inducted as a member of the Phi Beta  Mu International Band Fraternity. 

In January 2013, Justin presented a clinic entitled “Warming up our Concert Bands before MPA: What we  Gleaned from Experts, Experience, Observation, and Research” at the Alabama Music Educator’s  Association In-Service Conference in Montgomery, AL. The research study was published in UPDATE:  Applications of Research for Music Education.

 Justin lives in Hoover, AL with his miniature schnauzer, Shelby. When he is not teaching and arranging music, he enjoys drawing, learning more about history and architecture, visiting museums, and cooking. Additionally, he and his girlfriend, Kelsey, enjoy hiking, traveling to national parks, and trying new restaurants/cuisines.