Cynthia Ann Bulloch was born in San Angelo, Texas, on July 25, 1956, to Jake and Gloria Young, the oldest of three children. Jake, a former cornet player, was a police officer for the San Angelo PD, and Gloria, a violinist, was a social worker for Texas Department of Human Services. Brother David played cornet for a time, while little sister Susie played flute and is a recently retired Texas music educator.

After hearing the junior high band perform at her elementary school during 6th grade assembly, Cindy had her heart set on joining band in junior high school. Although she was interested in playing clarinet, Cindy eventually chose flute because her mother remembered how beautifully her best friend from high school had played the instrument. The Edison Junior High School band was taught by director Don Hayes, Cindy’s favorite teacher. She made many friends in band and particularly looked up to bassoonist Kathy Lynn Kendle who was two years older. A talented leader, Kathy would later be a huge influence on Cindy’s decisions for the future.

Cindy’s mom encouraged her to continue band in high school, despite the fact she couldn’t count the 6/8 time signatures in “Them Basses” and “March Grandioso,” her summer homework. “I don’t know how it goes!” Cindy told her mom. Fortunately for Cindy, her wise mother once again intervened. Brilliantly, Mrs. Young recommended, “At least go to the first rehearsal of summer band and see if you can figure out how the rhythm goes. Once you know how it goes, you’ll be able to play it!” With a clear fake-it-til-you-make-it plan in place, Cindy eventually learned to count and became a successful member of San Angelo Central High School Bobcat Band. Under the leadership of directors Homer Anderson and David Pennock, Cindy learned the principles of esprit de corps and flourished in her family of “band-bubs'' as they were known (including friends turned band directors Evelio Villarreal, Fred Velez, John Rogers, and Boyd Rowden). A turning point in her band experience was attending the WTSU band camp, taking her very first flute lesson lesson from Dr. Garner Garner, and attending daily flute sectionals taught by Randy Vaughn! Cindy returned home from band camp and was named drum major (the first girl drum major in the history of the band program) her senior year thanks to the techniques she learned at camp from Terry Milligan. Inspired by her experiences at the WT camp, role model now WT student Kathy Lynn Kendle, and Mr. Pennock’s rave reviews of Dr. Garner and WTSU

symphonic band’s 1974 TMEA performance of William Latham’s “Dilemma,” Cindy made the decision to major in music at WTSU.

In August of 1974, two earthshaking events changed our country. Richard Nixon resigned the presidency and Cindy Bulloch began her freshman year at West Texas State! Dr. Gary Garner was Cindy’s band director and flute teacher. Clearly not one of the strong flutes in the department, Cindy was determined and worked diligently to catch up. Always encouraging, Dr. Garner patiently corrected her bad habits. The knowledge Cindy learned from Dr. Garner has been invaluable to her teaching…especially transposing parts. During her last semester at WT, Cindy would prepare three flute etudes with the expectation she transpose and perform the music as if written for a Bb instrument, horn, saxophone, or low brass instrument. Cindy graduated in 1978 then earned her masters degree at WT in 1993. After graduation in 1978, Cindy’s first teaching position was in Enid, Oklahoma at Longfellow Junior High School where she was often stopped in the hallway for her hall pass…don’t we all miss those days? Enid, home of the Tri-State Music Festival, was a wonderful town that embraced the band community. After three years at Longfellow Junior High School, Cindy taught at Abilene Cooper High School with Jack Nall, then Hedrick Middle School in Lewisville, teaching with Debbie McFadden. During those years, Cindy was also fortunate to observe and learn from such greats as John Whitwell, William Revelli, Howard Dunn, Dick Clardy, Don Hanna, Fred Allen, and Barbara Lambrecht.

In her third year in Lewisville, Cindy was introduced to Mike Bulloch by a colleague at Hedrick. Mike worked for Baker-Hughes, lived in Midland, and was single father to son Taylor and daughter Christi who lived in Cindy’s hometown of San Angelo. On their first date, Cindy asked Mike if he played an instrument, to which he proudly replied, “I play the RADIO!” After a year and a half, Mike and Cindy were weary of long distance travel and many days apart. They married in July of 1988 in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

Now living with Mike in Midland, Randy Storie and Dick Clardy convinced Fine Arts Director J.R. McEntyre to hire Cindy for the open position of traveling junior high assistant band director in Odessa. Taking their advice, Mr. McEntyre hired Cindy…without an interview. She traveled to all SIX Odessa junior high schools each day to assist with teaching beginning woodwind classes and section rehearsals. Nimitz became vacant at the end of the at year and Cindy moved

moved into the position, becoming the first woman band director in the history of Odessa and the Ector County ISD. In those days, junior high directors were responsible for teaching all beginning band classes, concert band, and MARCHING BAND! UIL MARCHING CONTEST! Believe it or not, it was a great time to teach and learn.

The Nimitz program was in good shape when Cindy took over, but with the dutiful work of the fantastic Nimitz band students and help of mentors J.R. McEntyre, Dr. Gary Garner, Van Ragsdale, Charles Nail, Randy Storie, Bill Surface, Dick Clardy, as well as colleagues John Carroll, Pano Data, Bill Hardin, Mike Watts, Clyde Wilson, Rusty Gray, and Ed Handley, the program improved tremendously, earning the UIL sweepstakes award each year of her nineteen year tenure. It also didn’t hurt that as many as ninety Nimitz students attended the two week WT band camp each July. After having been runner-up in 1991, Nimitz earned the first of two TMEA honor bands in 1995. The fall semester of 1997 brought wonderful surprises to the Nimitz band program; Van Ragsdale moved from Permian High School to become Nimitz band’s very first assistant director, and The John Philip Sousa Foundation honored Nimitz with the Sudler Silver Cup! Teaching with Van was an unforgettable experience and an education in itself. After Van left Odessa to become director of fine arts in Arlington, former WT student teacher Tamarie Sayger returned to Odessa and Nimitz to work with Cindy. It was during Tamarie’s tenure that Nimitz band earned honor band runner-up in 2001, and the 2003 TMEA BBB Honor Band. In 2004 the Ector County ISD recognized Cindy as the secondary Teacher of the Year, and she was elected to membership in the American Bandmaster Association at the convention in Williamsburg, Virginia. Another former WT student teacher Emily Pledger Moran followed Tamarie in the fall of 2004. Cindy is beyond thankful for the wisdom, knowledge, and genius of her teaching associates. Texas Bandmasters Association honored Nimitz with the 2007 Exemplary Junior High School band program award and recognized Cindy for Lifetime Meritorious Achievement in 2012.

Cindy has worked on various committees for TMEA and UIL, including two terms on the Prescribed Music Committee, and is deeply honored to have served Phi Beta Mu as Alpha Chapter president. Often a contributor-clinician at TMEA, TBA, the MidWest clinic, district professional development sessions, and summer symposiums, Cindy has continued sharing her

knowledge, mentoring young and not-so-young directors along with their band students throughout Texas. These rewarding and fulfilling experiences are not unlike parenting as she embraces the opportunity to advise, encourage, challenge, counsel, console, and celebrate even the smallest successes with her young teacher-colleagues. Too numerous to name, Cindy is proud of you ALL!

Mentoring, as well as judging and guest conducting, has also afforded her the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and colleagues, all of whom she considers extended family. Cindy would like to recognize the colleagues whose influence and expertise have been an inspiration through the years: Beth Adams, Fred Allen, June and Keith Bearden, Helen Blackburn, John Carroll, MaryEllen Cavitt, Abby Crawford, Janet Doherty, Sue Fletcher, Bill Hardin, Charles Johnson, Kathy Johnson, Barbara Lambrecht, Cindy Lansford, Melodianne Mallow, Emily Moran, Eric and Karla Rettig, Susan Scarborough, Babs Streit, Tamarie Sayger, Bridget Walker, Jolette Wine, and Paul and Susan Worosello.

Cindy extends her deepest appreciation to Texas Bandmasters Association, Alpha Chapter Phi Beta Mu, chairman Barbara Lambrecht and the Hall of Fame Committee for this incredibly special honor. “I can’t fathom a more collegial, generous or honorable profession.”

Home for Mike and Cindy is now Horseshoe Bay, near Austin, where they are closer to son Taylor, daughter Christi, grandgirls Harper and Haddie, and granddogs River and Nash. Cindy’s parents and wonder-dog Spencer Tracey are now happy additions to the Bulloch home, where they all enjoy hearing an occasional flute lesson, hosting family and friends, and spoiling the littles. She would especially like to thank her family for their support and unconditional love.

“There’s no crying in baseball! It’s SUPPOSED to be hard!!!
If it weren’t hard, everyone would do it! It’s the HARD that makes it GREAT!!!!!!!!”
From the movie, A League of Their Own