Director of Bands - Kyle Ruschhaupt

gruschhaupt@libertyhill.txed.net

Mr. Ruschhaupt has 24 years experience of teaching band. He taught for 8 years at Farley Middle School in Hutto ISD, 12 years at Vista Ridge High School, and 4 years at Running Brushy Middle School, both in Leander ISD. 

Mr. Ruschhaupt earned a Bachelor of Secondary Music degree from Southwest Texas State University and was a cum laude graduate. While at Southwest Texas, he performed trumpet in the Wind Ensemble and was a visual tech for the "Pride of the Hill Country" Bobcat Marching Band. He also attended the University of Texas at Austin where he was a member of the Longhorn Band, Symphony Band and a member of Kappa Kappa Psi band fraternity. He was also a member of the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps. In May of 2018, Mr. Ruschhaupt received a Master's in Educational Administration from Lamar University. 

In his career, Mr. Ruschhaupt has earned over 20 UIL Concert & Sight Reading Sweepstakes as well as numerous Best in Class awards at state and national festivals. As an assistant director at Vista Ridge High School, he conducted the Vista Ridge Wind Ensemble at the 2014 Midwest Clinic in Chicago, and led the Marching Band to the Texas State Marching Contest in 2007 (7th), 2008 (20th), 2013 (Bronze) and 2015 (4th). In 2016, the Wind Symphony earned the Citation for Excellence from the Foundation for Music Education.   

As Director of Bands at Farley, Mr. Ruschhaupt helped elevate the band program to new standards for performance.  After his arrival in 2016, the ensembles at Farley consistently received UIL Sweepstakes awards and perform regularly for the Farley campus, elementary schools, and for the City of Hutto. Under his leadership, participation in instrument private lessons and the TMEA Region 26 Region Band also flourished. The Farley Wind Ensemble also earned the Citation for Excellence from the Foundation for Music Education (commended) in 2023. Additionally, the student retention rate for the Farley Band is above 90 percent. 

Mr. Ruschhaupt has a deep passion for music because it changed his life. Attending his first TMEA Convention as a member of the Texas All State Band changed his career path. The skills he learned as a musician are what he hopes to instill in his students. Skills like perseverance, team work, goal-setting, expression, hard work, and organization are some of the few benefits to being in band at Legacy Ranch HS. The most important benefit of being in band is that the students are part of a FAMILY. I take a lot of  pride in the relationships we create with our students. It is WHY we teach. 

In his free time, Mr. Ruschhaupt enjoys landscaping, woodworking, boating, visiting National Parks, reading, barbecuing, watching the Longhorns and anything outdoors. His son attends Texas State University where he is pursuing a degree in Mass Communications. His daughter is a 2023 graduate of Texas State and teaches 2nd grade in Leander ISD. His wife is the Senior Coordinator for Elementary Math Curriculum also in Leander ISD. They met in HS band so that's another reason band is awesome!

As an active clinician and adjudicator around the state, Mr. Ruschhaupt is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association and the Texas Music Adjudicators Association.

Percussion Director - Tyler Dempsey

tdempsey@libertyhill.txed.net

Mr. Dempsey will be the Director of Percussion at Legacy Ranch and Santa Rita Middle School. He comes to us from Hutto ISD where he has served as the Director of Percussion for the last 7 years. He has over 20 years of experience in Drum Corps International (DCI), the last 7 as a DCI adjudicator, and has been teaching percussion at the collegiate and high school level for over 30 years.

He is published by TapSpace Publications and also has music on the Texas Prescribed Music List (PML). He is also a Percussive Arts Society National Snare Drum Champion. He has taken percussion ensembles to the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago twice, and has won the Percussive Arts Society International Convention High School Percussion Ensemble Competition.

He is a graduate of San Jose State University where he studied with Anthony J. Cirone of the San Francisco Symphony. Mr. Dempsey is endorsed by Innovative Percussion and Evans Drumheads. 

He and his wife love traveling and enjoy spending time with their dog Lincoln, 5 cats, and 2 dwarf goats. Tyler is an avid golfer and a member of Georgetown Country Club.

"I am super excited to be a part of this team and look forward to being a part of the start of something great!"