Cypress Woods Band Directors
Biographies
T.J. Peterman
Director of Bands
terrance.peterman@cfisd.net
T.J. Peterman is in his ninth year as a music educator, and third year serving as the Director of Bands at Cypress Woods High School in Cypress, Texas. Previously, he served as an assistant director at Cypress Woods for six years. Mr. Peterman directs the Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, and Concert Winds, and assists with the Symphonic Winds and Symphonic Band. Additionally, he serves as the Fine Arts Department Chair at Cypress Woods High School. During his time at Cypress Woods, the program has consistently received awards in both marching and concert band events at the regional, area, and state levels. Since 2020, the band has been a consistent UIL State Marching Band Contest Participant and BOA Regional Finalist. Under his direction, the Symphonic Winds was named a winner of the Citation of Excellence in 2022, and in 2024, the Wind Ensemble performed at the 78th Midwest Clinic - International Band and Orchestra Conference.
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In service to the profession, Mr. Peterman currently serves on the Buffet Crampon USA - Educational Advisory Board and formerly served on the University Interscholastic League - Prescribed Music List Committee. He has also had the opportunity to present at the Texas Bandmasters Association and ClarinetWorks at Texas Lutheran University in 2019 and 2020. As an adjudicator, he has served at marching, concert, and chamber events in Texas, Nebraska, and Missouri. In 2025, Mr. Peterman was named Phi Beta Mu’s “Outstanding Young Bandmaster of the Year” in Texas.
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Mr. Peterman holds a B.M. in Music Studies and Certificate in Performance from the University of Texas at Austin, and a M.M. in Music Education from Texas State University. While at the University of Texas at Austin, he performed in the Wind Ensemble under the direction of Jerry Junkin, and in the Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Gerhardt Zimmermann. During his time in both ensembles, he had the opportunity to perform as Principal Clarinet. His primary clarinet instructors include Paula Corley and Steve Cohen. He is also proud to be a Buffet Crampon artist.
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Mr. Peterman’s professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association and Texas Bandmasters Association. He has recently begun the process of gaining membership into the Texas Music Adjudicators Association. His mentors include: Tom Harrington, Dana Pradervand-Sedatole, Kevin Sedatole, Larry Matysiak, Keith Lancaster, Al Corley, Paula Corley, Jodie Rhodes, Katie VanDoren, Kerry Taylor, Cheryl Floyd, Richard Floyd, and John Denis.
Gabrielle Bielz
Assistant Director of Bands
gabrielle.crouch@cfisd.net
Gabrielle Bielz is entering her third year of teaching as an Assistant Director of the Cypress
Woods High School Band. Mrs. Bielz graduated from Sam Houston State University with a
Bachelor of Music Education and a minor in Psychology. She is currently pursuing her Masters degree in Music Education at Sam Houston State University.
​While at SHSU, Mrs. Bielz was a member of the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and the
Bearkat Marching Band. She held numerous leadership roles throughout her undergraduate
studies. Mrs. Bielz served as the Drum Major for the Bearkat Marching Band for two years and
held positions in both the Beta Theta chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota and the Alpha Omicron
chapter of Tau Beta Sigma. She studied clarinet under Dr. Patricia Card. In addition to playing
clarinet, Mrs. Bielz also studied voice with Dr. Emily Heilman and was a member of the Belles
Voix Treble Choir.
Prior to joining the Cypress Woods staff, Mrs. Bielz served as a Marching Technician with
College Park High School in 2022 and Willis High School in 2021. Mrs. Bielz has taught
private clarinet lessons in Conroe ISD since the Spring of 2022. She completed her student
teaching in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD at Labay Middle School and Cypress Woods High School
under the mentorship of Mary Santarelli and Tom Harrington. Mrs. Bielz is from Magnolia,
Texas where she attended Magnolia High School. She was an active member of the Magnolia
High School Band and served as the Drum Major for two years.
Cinjin Casillas
Assistant Band Director
Percussion Coordinator
cinjin.casillas@cfisd.net
Cinjin Casillas is in his twelfth year with the Cypress Woods Band. Mr. Casillas is a graduate of Texas Christian University where he received his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education. He is also a graduate from Cy-Fair High School, where he was an All-State Percussionist. Mr. Casillas is a former member of the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps. Mr. Casillas has studied with percussionists Dr. Brian West, Dr. Richard Gipson, Dr. Dave Hall, and Paul Rennick.
Mr. Casillas was a member of the TCU Percussion Orchestra, a group that has won five total PASIC "Call for Tapes" competitions, the most prestigious award given to the top college percussion ensembles in the country. He was also a member of the TCU Drumline, winners of the 2012 PASIC Marching Festival. He has performed in Carnegie Hall with the TCU Wind Symphony, and at the Fiesta Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Super Bowl with the TCU Marching Band.
Mr. Casillas has enjoyed great success at Cypress Woods High School. Under his leadership, the percussion section has secured many best in class and caption awards at Band, Drumline, and Percussion Ensemble contests. In addition to his normal duties, Mr. Casillas is a frequent clinician for percussion programs in the Houston area. His responsibilities include: Assisting with Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, Concert Winds, and overseeing the Grades 6-12 Percussion Program.
Mr. Casillas enjoys spending time with the family dogs, expanding his knowledge of all things “nerd”, and tending to his LEGO collection. Mr. Casillas resides in Cypress with his wife Molly Casillas who is a school counselor.
Samuel Belcher
Assistant Director of Bands
samuel.belcher@cfisd.net
Mr. Belcher is currently in his second year as Assistant Director at Cypress Woods High School. He received his B.M. in Music Education from the University of Houston in December of 2023. While at UH, Mr. Belcher performed with the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, Large Trumpet Ensemble, Spirit of Houston Marching Band, and Cougar Brass. He studied trumpet with Mr. Jim Vassallo, previous principal of the Houston Grand Opera and Houston Ballet. Mr. Belcher was a member of the Beta Sigma chapter of the Kappa Kappa Psi Band Service Fraternity, where he served as President of the organization for two years.
Outside of UH, Mr. Belcher was involved in many programs across the Houston area. He was a marching technician at Friendswood High School, The Woodlands High School, and here at Cypress Woods High School. He also previously taught private lessons at Spillane Middle School, Goodson Middle School, and Cypress Falls High School. He was also involved in Drum Corps International as a performer with the Santa Clara Vanguard from 2020-2022.
Mr. Belcher student taught at Willow Wood Junior High in Tomball ISD with Mr. Jim Shaw, and at The Woodlands High School in Conroe ISD with Mr. Carter Frederick. He then spent the majority of the Spring semester of 2024 at Strack Intermediate in Klein ISD, where he taught all of the beginner brass classes and helped take the Non-Varsity Band to UIL.
Mr. Belcher is a proud graduate of Cypress Woods High School in 2019.