Growing up with a band director mother and playing trumpet in All-State band at Carthage High School, Coppell head band director Kim Shuttlesworth has been immersed in a world of music for decades. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in music, Shuttlesworth taught as a band director at Clint Small Middle School in Austin, James Bowie High School in Austin and Glenn High School in Leander before joining Coppell ISD on April 26.

What do you want your students to know before they join the band program?

They need to realize they’re coming into a family. They’re coming into a place that does have expectations, but they’re completely attainable. They matter and their role in the organization is just as important as someone that’s in leadership. They need to know they have a place here.

What changes do you want to make to the band program?

It’s too early to tell on that. There’s so much tradition and history that already exist. Taking it in right now is really important to me, so I can understand what is important to not only the band program but the school and to the community. What is my place in that, and how do I maintain that? What are some new things I can do that don’t take away from what we’ve already worked through?

What music do you enjoy listening to?

It’s going to sound really lame, but I’m listening to the Forrest Gump soundtrack and The Terminal soundtrack right now. Some of them are kind of funny – you watch the movie, and you don’t really realize it, and then you go back and listen to the soundtrack, and you laugh because you see how that music helped that moment.

How do you spend your free time?

I’ve moved closer to my family, so it’s very important that I get to spend as much time with them as I can. My mom, [Denise Shuttlesworth], is battling cancer right now, so the quality time I can get with her is really important. I lived so far away from my parents for so long, so getting this opportunity to live a little closer has been super helpful. 

Who is your role model?

My mom is a great musician in general, and she’s always had a gift of being able to build a beautiful phrase structure. She always wanted us to be the most professional we could be, and [told us] to treat the kids like professionals. We should understand they’re kids, but they have the maturity to make really great musical choices. 

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