Dillon Lewis
Dillon K. Lewis is a classically trained pianist turned percussionist. His great-grandfather, "Prof" Raymond T. Bynum, is credited to directing the first and oldest operating band program in Texas at Abilene High School, and famously moved on to start McMurry University's first collegiate band program. Mr. Lewis is now a percussion performer and music educator in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. He was most recently the Graduate Teaching Assistant for the University of Texas at Arlington Percussion Studio where he assisted teaching the Maverick Marching Band and coached select percussion ensembles. Mr. Lewis is also one half of the Violet Sounds Percussion Duo with fellow Texas-based percussion educator, Neyma Garcia-Ruiz.
While studying for his music degrees, Mr. Lewis has spent his summers working for summer music programs. He was the percussion director of the Culver Summer Schools & Camps in Indiana and of the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp International Program. He has also been a featured clinician for various programs in the DFW and West Texas areas and taught private lessons and masterclasses for students at Burleson ISD, Abilene ISD, Abilene-Wylie ISD, and Jim Ned CISD.
As a performer, Mr. Lewis has helped premier musical works by Joe W. Moore III, Nicole Piunno, Quinn Mason, Joshua Howeth, Rhett Clark, and others. The solo multi-percussion work "Until the Wind Changes" was commissioned through Joe W. Moore III and is published by C. Alan Publications. He was also the winner of the 2024 UTA Concerto Competition and performed Michael Daugherty's “Raise the Roof” concerto for timpani and orchestra in February of that year. Mr. Lewis has been a part of featured performances at Carnegie Hall, the Texas Music Educators Association Convention, the National Conference for Percussion Pedagogy, and other various competitions and Texas based festivals.
Mr. Lewis received his Bachelor of Instrumental Music Education degree at McMurry University in Abilene, Texas, and his Masters in Percussion Performance from the University of Texas at Arlington. His primary teachers include Andrew Eldridge, Juan "Johnny" Mendoza III, Joe W. Moore III, and Christopher Nadeau. Mr. Lewis is an active member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Percussive Arts Society, and the Kappa Kappa Psi Alumni Association.
Mr. Lewis joins the North Mesquite High School Band Staff at the start of the 2024-2025 school year as the assistant percussion director and assistant band director. He currently resides in Dallas, Texas, along with his wife, Kayleigh, and his puppy, Piper.