Golden Nail Awards

BJ Brooks

Dr. BJ Brooks was born in Portales, New Mexico in 1975. He was guided in his early piano compositions by his piano teacher Cheryl Pachak-Brooks and was later instructed in large ensemble techniques by band director and arranger Pat Henry. He spent 5 years in DCI as a member of the Troopers Drum & Bugle corps as well as an age-out member and tour director of the Blue knights Drum & Bugle corps of Denver, CO. BJ holds a bachelor’s degree from Eastern New Mexico University, a master’s degree from West Texas A&M University, and doctorate from Texas Tech University. He was instructed in composition by Dr. Jon Jonsson, Dr. Stephen Duncan, Dr. Norman Nelson and Dr. Peter Fischer. BJ has composed numerous works for ensembles, solo performers and the electro-acoustic medium. His works are played by a wide range of performers, from universities to beginning ensembles around the world. In 2011 his “Cadence-Fantasy on Rhythms of Nick Angelis” was selected to be performed by the Croatian Army Symphonic Wind Orchestra at the International Society for Contemporary Music in Zagreb, Croatia. His music has been honored with numerous awards, has been included as educational material at the University of North Texas Conductor’s Collegium, is included in the acclaimed book series Teaching Music Through Performance in Band, is found on several repertoire lists including Texas’ PML, and has been featured at numerous conventions such as TMEA, TBA, CBDNA, and the Midwest Clinic. BJ is an active clinician and adjudicator with concert ensembles and marching bands across the Southwest. A complete listing of his band works is located in The Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. Dr. Brooks is Associate Professor of Music Theory and Composition at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas. There he resides with his wife, Melanie, and two children, Meghan and Tobin.