Directors
Megan ChristianMegan Christian is the Director of Bands at Bearden High School in Knoxville, TN. While at Bearden she has enjoyed being a part of a great community, full of talented students and colleagues. Mrs. Christian oversees the different facets of the Bearden Band program including the Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Marching Band, Indoor Drumline, Winter Guard, Jazz Band, and small ensembles. During her tenure the Marching Band, Symphonic Band, and Concert Band have consistently received superior ratings. Prior to this appointment, she has held positions as the assistant director at Bearden High School, the assistant director at Hendersonville High School, and the director at Hawkins Middle School.
While attending the University of Tennessee she received a Bachelor of Music degree in both Music Education and Music Performance. Through her experience at UT she studied with Dr. Shelley Binder, internationally with flautist Louis Moyse, and participated in masterclasses with Jim Walker and John Barcellona. She studied conducting with Dr. Ed Powell and Dr. Gary Sousa, and participated in conducting symposiums under the direction of Professor Paula Crider, Professor Michael Haithcock, and Professor Craig Kirchhoff. Mrs. Christian is a member of ETSB&OA, TMEA, NAfME, ASBDA, and Phi Beta Mu. She has been selected as Teacher of the Year at Bearden High School in both 2013 and 2011, and has served as Band Chair for ETSB&OA from 2012-2016, Fine Arts Department Chair 2009-Current, Fine Arts Representative on the Teacher Advisory Committee 2017-Current, PD Specialist for High School Instrumental Music 2018-Current, and Tennessee Music Education Association’s State Band Chair 2018-2020. She resides in Knoxville, TN with her husband Joe and her daughter Corinne. Contact Info: megan.christian@knoxschools.org
James Wilson
James Matthew Wilson is the Assistant Director of Bands at Bearden High School in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mr. Wilson’s duties at BHS include directing the marching band, concert band, jazz band, assisting with the symphonic band, teaching advanced placement music theory, drill and field show design, and music arranging/composing. The Bearden Symphonic, Concert and Marching Bands have consistently received superior ratings during his tenure. Prior to his appointment at Bearden in 2008, he taught as band director at Heritage Middle School and assistant director at Heritage High School from 2006-2007
Mr. Wilson holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Tennessee, having performed with the “Pride of the Southland” Marching Band from 2001-2003. He is an alumnus of the Cincinnati Glory Drum and Bugle Corps where he performed as lead soprano bugle in 1999 and 2000. James studied conducting with Ed Powell and trumpet with Cathy Leach; and has taken masterclasses with numerous world renowned musicians, including Allen Vizzutti and Doc Severinsen. Mr. Wilson performs as a freelance trumpet player, composer, arranger, and marching band drill designer. Mr. Wilson is a member of the National Association for Music Education, American School Band Director’s Association, and East Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association where he served on the board as the Middle Area Representative from 2012-2015. He has worked as a guest clinician and adjudicator for marching and concert band mediums. He lives in Knoxville with his wife Becky, daughter Adelia, and son John. Contact Info: jamie.wilson@knoxschools.org
Jason Franklin
Jason Franklin has recently been the Director of Guards at Seymour High School in Seymour, Tennessee since 2008. In that time, the Seymour Guard has consistently been at the forefront of the scholastic pageantry activity in the East Tennessee area. All aspects of his guard programs strive to achieve at the highest levels with participation in Winter Guard International (WGI), Bands of America (BOA), Carolina Indoor Performance Association (CIPA), and East Tennessee Performing Arts Association (ETPAA). Mr. Franklin brings a variety of experiences including a music education background, years of teaching/coaching, being a board member for the local guard association (ETPAA), and as a performer.
Mr. Franklin is a native of the Tri-Cities area of Tennessee and graduated from Sullivan East High School. He studied Music Education at East Tennessee State University and performed with the Wind Ensemble, Saxophone Quartet, and Marching Band as Drum Major. He is a graduate of Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, TN with a degree in Elementary Education, and Middle School Endorsement. He has also received a Masters Degree in School Administration in 2017 from Carson-Newman University. Mr. Franklin works with numerous programs locally and nationally as a consultant and show designer. Mr. Franklin currently teaches 7th and 8th grade math at Seymour Junior High School in Sevier County. Contact Info: beardenhsguard@gmail.com
Jacob SeeMr. Jacob See graduated from the University of Tennessee - Knoxville in 2014 where he received a M.M. in Tuba Performance. Jacob received his B.M. in Music Education and Tuba Performance from Carson-Newman College. As an active performer, Mr. See can be seen with the Southern Stars Symphonic Brass Band in Crossville, TN as Principal B-flat bass and with the Black Oak Brass Quintet of Knoxville, TN. Jacob's primary instructors include the late Dr. Kelly Thomas, Sande MacMorran, and Dr. Sean Greene. Currently, Mr. See is an active private tuba and euphonium instructor in the Knoxville region, while serving as Adjunct Instructor of Low Brass on the faculty at Carson-Newman University and Maryville College.
Alex DouglassAlex Douglass is currently a student at the University of Tennessee studying Environmental and Soil Science with minors in Watershed and Applied Music. He is excited for his third year at Bearden, where he currently serves as the Assistant Director of Percussion.
At UT, Alex has studied percussion with Andrew Bliss, Abby Fisher, Nick Bruce, Morgan Tao, Adam Lion, and Alexander Smith. Alex has performed in various ensembles including the UT Percussion Ensemble, Steelband & World Percussion Ensemble, Pride of the Southland Marching Band, Symphonic Band, Symphony Orchestra, and Opera Theatre. Alex has also performed with Music City Drum and Bugle Corps and Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps. |
Nick WhiteNicolas White currently holds the position of Director of Percussion at Bearden High School and is an active performer in the Knoxville area. Mr. White has also taught at Carter High School, Oak Ridge High School, Jefferson Middle School, and Farragut High School. He has presented several different masterclasses and clinics at many Knoxville high schools and middle schools.
Mr. White's performance resume includes performances with the University of Tennessee Percussion Ensemble at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, The Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, TN, and the McCormick Marimba Festival in Tampa, FL. Nicolas has performed with many other ensembles including the 2019 All-Collegiate Band at the Tennessee Music Educators Association State convention in Nashville, TN, The United States Navy Band in a performance at Cox Auditorium in Knoxville, the University of Tennessee Wind Ensemble, UT Symphonic Band, UT Concert Band and UT Symphony Orchestra. Mr. White has participated in percussion masterclasses and clinics with performers such as Michael Burritt, Nancy Zeltsman, Ed Soph, Doug Howard, Steve Schick, and many others. In June of 2019, he attended The Art of Band Conducting and Rehearsing Workshop at the University of Texas, Austin where he attended clinics on rehearsal techniques, repertoire selection, performance practice, conducting technique, and score study from renowned conductors and educators such as Jerry Junkin, Richard Floyd, Dr. Robert Duke, Dr. Jamie Nix, Dr. Scott Hanna, and others. Mr. White holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from the University of Tennessee. His primary percussion instructors include Andrew Hale, Daniel Lankford, Joshua Dreyer, Peter Naughton, Jordan McFarland, Andrew Bliss, and Keith Brown. His primary conducting instructors are Dr. Fuller Lyon and Dr. Michael Stewart. Nicolas proudly chooses to use Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets for all of his playing and teaching needs. |
Jessica HuffakerJessica Huffaker was born in Damascus, Maryland and grew up in Middle Tennessee, Burns and Murfreesboro. Mrs. Huffaker received a Bachelor of Music in Music Education, with a focus on instrumental music, at The University of Tennessee. Mrs. Huffaker played trombone in The Pride of the Southland Marching Band, Lady Vols Basketball Pep Band, Lady Vols Volleyball Pep Band, Wind Ensemble, and Trombone Choir.
Mrs. Huffaker teaches general music to six hundred students at Karns Elementary School. After-school at Karns Elementary, Mrs. Huffaker offers three free music clubs for students, steel band, chorus, and recorder club, and one free club for teachers, staff steel band. Mrs. Huffaker is a staff member with the Bearden High School Marching Band, assisting the band at after-school rehearsals, games, and competitions. Additionally, Mrs. Huffaker is currently pursuing a Master of Education in Instructional Leadership online with Lincoln Memorial University, with an expected completion in August 2020. |