Shaka Hawkins is currently serving in his first year as the Director of Bands at Cleveland High School in Cleveland, Texas. In this role, he leads the Wind Ensemble and the marching band while also assisting with the school's three other concert ensembles.
Before his appointment in Cleveland, he was the Director of Bands at Tomball High School. During his tenure there, the Cougar Pride Marching Band achieved significant recognition, including being named First Place in Class 6A and Overall Champion at the Galena Park Marching Contest, earning a First Division at the UIL Marching Contest, and advancing as a finalist at the UIL Area F Marching Contest. His responsibilities at Tomball included directing the Wind Ensemble and marching band, and co-directing the Concert Band.
Prior to Tomball, Mr. Hawkins spent four years as the Director of Bands at Victoria West High School. The Band of Warriors flourished under his leadership, consistently earning UIL Sweepstakes Awards. Their marching accolades included 1st Place Class 5A and Grand Champion at the Bay Area Marching Festival, 1st Place Class 5A at the Gregory-Portland Tournament of Bands, and an 8th place finish in the UIL Area G Marching Contest Finals. The program's success extended to other ensembles, with the Jazz Orchestra earning best high school jazz band honors on day one of the University of Houston Jazz Festival, and the Warrior Indoor Winds securing a silver medal at the TCGC State Championships.
Mr. Hawkins' earlier teaching experience includes director positions at Palmview High School, Shelbyville High School, and Harleton High School. Across his career, his bands have consistently earned UIL Sweepstakes Awards, performed three times at the Texas State Marching Contest, and were finalists twice. In 2014, his Shelbyville High School Concert Band was named runner-up in the prestigious TMEA Honor Band process.
Beyond the scholastic level, he has contributed to the drum corps activity, serving as a brass staff member for the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps and the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps, and as an ensemble specialist with the Genesis Drum and Bugle Corps.
Committed to the advancement of music education, Mr. Hawkins is an active member of numerous professional organizations, including the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), Texas Bandmasters Association (TBA), and the Texas Music Adjudicators Association (TMAA), for which he serves as a certified adjudicator. He is also a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and Kappa Kappa Psi, and contributes to the future of band policies by serving on the UIL Sight Reading Committee and the TMAA Ad-Hoc Marching Band Committee.
Before his appointment in Cleveland, he was the Director of Bands at Tomball High School. During his tenure there, the Cougar Pride Marching Band achieved significant recognition, including being named First Place in Class 6A and Overall Champion at the Galena Park Marching Contest, earning a First Division at the UIL Marching Contest, and advancing as a finalist at the UIL Area F Marching Contest. His responsibilities at Tomball included directing the Wind Ensemble and marching band, and co-directing the Concert Band.
Prior to Tomball, Mr. Hawkins spent four years as the Director of Bands at Victoria West High School. The Band of Warriors flourished under his leadership, consistently earning UIL Sweepstakes Awards. Their marching accolades included 1st Place Class 5A and Grand Champion at the Bay Area Marching Festival, 1st Place Class 5A at the Gregory-Portland Tournament of Bands, and an 8th place finish in the UIL Area G Marching Contest Finals. The program's success extended to other ensembles, with the Jazz Orchestra earning best high school jazz band honors on day one of the University of Houston Jazz Festival, and the Warrior Indoor Winds securing a silver medal at the TCGC State Championships.
Mr. Hawkins' earlier teaching experience includes director positions at Palmview High School, Shelbyville High School, and Harleton High School. Across his career, his bands have consistently earned UIL Sweepstakes Awards, performed three times at the Texas State Marching Contest, and were finalists twice. In 2014, his Shelbyville High School Concert Band was named runner-up in the prestigious TMEA Honor Band process.
Beyond the scholastic level, he has contributed to the drum corps activity, serving as a brass staff member for the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps and the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps, and as an ensemble specialist with the Genesis Drum and Bugle Corps.
Committed to the advancement of music education, Mr. Hawkins is an active member of numerous professional organizations, including the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), Texas Bandmasters Association (TBA), and the Texas Music Adjudicators Association (TMAA), for which he serves as a certified adjudicator. He is also a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and Kappa Kappa Psi, and contributes to the future of band policies by serving on the UIL Sight Reading Committee and the TMAA Ad-Hoc Marching Band Committee.