Bowie High School is a 6A high school with an enrollment of approximately 2,900 students. Located 12 miles Southwest of downtown Austin, Bowie is one of 16 high schools in the Austin Independent School District. Joseph D. Smith is the director and has been with the school since 2019. The Orchestra Program at BHS currently has 130 members enrolled into its program. The students are placed by live audition into one of four string ensembles that meet every other day for 90 minutes. BHS takes two full orchestras and four string orchestras to UIL Concert and Sightreading Contest. The Symphony Full Orchestra has been a Honor Orchestra finalist four times: 1992, 1994, 2004, 2005.
Joseph D. Smith is currently the Orchestra Director for the J. Bowie High School Orchestra program. Prior to joining Bowie High School, Mr. Smith was the Assistant Orchestra Director with LBJ High School in Austin, TX from 2018-2019, where he helped obtain sweepstakes with all participating full and string orchestras in their respective UIL Contest performances.
More about the director →Our orchestra officers consist of the highest-calbier students who go above and beyond with their hard work and dedication to the Bowie Orchestra program. In addition to being great musicians, our officers help to set up and clean up events and help the director plan and organize socials, gatherings, and other fun activities!
Meet the officers →