David Centers - Band Director
David Centers began his teaching career in Jeffersonville, IN in 1997 and also taught at East Hardin Middle School before coming to Central Hardin in 2004. While at Central Hardin, the band program has grown from ~52 students to over 130 students. The band has received consistent distiguished ratings as a grade 6 band in KMEA festivals and has been a consistent state semi-finalist in KMEA State Marching Band Competitions.
Mr. Centers is orginally from Winchester, KY and currently lives in Louisville, KY with his wife, Staci (a cytologist), son (Noah) and daughter (Hannah). He attended the University of Louisville where he studied with John Jones. He graduated With Highest Honors and received the Outstanding Graduating Senior Award. He holds a bachelors in music education and a masters in education. His primary instrument is the Euphonium. Mr. Centers has performed with many ensembles in Kentucky and Southern Indiana including the Derby City Brass Band, Commonwealth Brass Band, Advocate Brass Band, Lousville Brass and Friends, and the Derby City Tuba Quartet - a two time national champion small ensemble winner at NABBA. He has also been a finalist in auditions with "The President's Own" United States Marine Band and the Washington D.C. based U.S. Air Force Band. Mr. Centers was selected as the FDBDA Band Director of the Year in 2009, and was selected by SBO Magazine to represent Kentucky in the 2009 edition of "50 Directors Who Make A Difference." Mr. Centers is also a member and Deacon at the Okolona Christian Church in Lousiville, KY where he performs in the orchestra.
email contact information: david.centers@hardin.kyschools.us
to email photos/large Files use: davidcenters@centralhardinband.org
Office Number: 270-737-6800
Physical Address for Central Hardin
3040 Leitchfield Rd, Cecilia, KY 42724
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Matthew Baucum - Assistant Band Director
Matthew Baucum
Matthew Baucum is originally from Paducah, Kentucky. He holds a Master of Arts degree in trombone performance from the University of Iowa and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Murray State University. Mr. Baucum is currently Director of Bands at East Hardin Middle School in Glendale, Kentucky and assistant band director at Central Hardin High School in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. At East Hardin Mr. Baucum conducts 6th-8th grade bands, a jazz band, numerous chamber ensembles and has created a mentoring/private lesson program that in it's first year includes 25% of the students in the band program. His ensembles have consistently received Distinguished ratings on the concert stage. East Hardin Middle School band students consistently place well at all-district band auditions and also have had great success at solo & ensemble festivals, recieving numerous Distinguished ratings. Before his appointment to East Hardin Middle School, Mr. Baucum was the Director of Bands at LaRue County Middle School in Hodgenville, Kentucky and at Reidland High School in Paducah, Kentucky.
Mr. Baucum has performed with the Oscaloosa Symphony Orchestra (Oscaloosa, Iowa), Ottumwa Symphony Orchestra (Ottumwa, Iowa), the Paducah Symphony Orchestra (Paducah, Kentucky), the Paducah Jazz Ensemble, the Todd Hill Orchestra, and many other chamber ensembles. He has also performed on the album "Daydreams from the Prairie", which was recorded and released by Johnson County Landmark, the premier jazz ensemble at The University of Iowa.
Mr. Baucum currently resides in Cecilia, Kentucky with his wife Kelly and his two cats Sophie and Lilly.
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Ken Allen - Assistant Band Director
Kenneth Allen is originally from Vincennes, Indiana. He graduated from North Texas State University in 1975 and taught music in Texas and Indiana for eight years before enlisting in the United States Army to become an active duty Army Bandmaster. From 1983 to 2001, Mr. Allen worked with Army bands in the New England and Washington D.C. areas, as well as Europe and Korea. During his military career, Mr. Allen performed for a number of high-ranking American dignitaries, including Presidents Reagan, Bush, Sr. and Clinton, and for many foreign heads of state throughout Europe and Korea. From Fort Knox in 2001, Mr. Allen transitioned back into public school teaching at West Hardin Middle School, while continuing as an Army Bandmaster in the Army Reserves out of Columbus, Ohio and Detroit, Michigan, until his retirement from the U.S. Army in 2006.
Mr. Allen currently resides in Stephensburg, Kentucky with his wife Lesa. He has two grown daughters living in Ohio (Michelle and Jennifer) and a son who is completing his final year at the University of Louisville (Scott).
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Seth Whitaker - Percussion Arranger/Composer and Percussion Consultant
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Open - Percussion Instructor
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Kayla Pucket - Guard Instructor and Choreographer
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Brandon and Kaleena Thompson - Visual and Drill Design and Consultants
Brandon Thompson was born and raised in Hardyville, KY where he began his marching career with the Hart County High School Band and Winter Guard in 1995. His wife, Kaleena Thompson grew up in Nashville, TN where she began marching with the Hunters Lane High School Band and Winter Guard in 1997. They both fell in love with the activity and have been involved with it since.
Brandon and Kaleena met while marching with Eklipse Winter Guard from Hopkinsville, KY. Kaleena went on to march Chimeras Winter Guard during her age-out season.
Brandon and Kaleena are both alumni of Western Kentucky University. Brandon graduated in 2004 with his Bachelor’s in Marketing. Kaleena graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor’s in English and Allied Language Arts. Brandon is working toward his Master’s in Elementary Education through The University of the Cumberlands. While working on his degree, Brandon works as a banker. Kaleena just recently attained an English teacher position at LaRue County High School. Both work with various marching band and winter guard programs in Kentucky including Central Hardin, Elizabethtown, Hart County, Eastern, Shelby County, Butler Traditional, and Adair County. They enjoy interaction with young people and seeing them work hard to achieve their goals. Both are firm believers in hard work and dedication.
As an extension of her joys of helping young people reach their goals, Kaleena started Elizabethtown Independent Winter Guard in 2007 with Brandon serving as assistant director and supporter. The organization, not affiliated with any public or private school, was created for young people between the ages of 16 and 22. The group competed nationally in 2008 and 2009, reaching levels of success that have not been achieved by many independent color guard organizations in Kentucky. The unit attained a finals position, placing 8th of nearly 80 groups during the 2009 Winter Guard International World Championships in Dayton, OH.
Brandon and Kaleena have served on the Executive Board of Directors for the Tri-State Circuit for the Pageantry Arts, the local winter guard circuit serving Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio.
Brandon and Kaleena’s desire to see young people succeed is a constant theme in their lives.
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Alan Emerson - Music Arranger/Composer
A native of Owensboro, KY, Mr. Emerson received his BME (1994) and MME(2004) from Murray State University. Mr. Emerson began his teaching career in Owensboro at Audubon Elementary School and Apollo High School. In 1995 Mr. Emerson began teaching for the Hopkins County School system and is currently working with Madisonville North Hopkins High School and James Madison Middle School Bands. James Madison Middle school currently has 42% of the student body involved in the instrumental music program. The 7th and 8th grade bands consistently receive distinguished ratings at KMEA large ensemble festival. Madisonville North Hopkins High School Band includes the following successful offerings for students: Marching Band, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Percussion Ensemble, and Chamber Winds.
Besides his teaching duties in Hopkins County, Mr. Emerson is also an active arranger for high school bands and has several private trumpet students. Mr. Emerson’s drum and bugle corps experiences include Star Of Indiana (1988), The Crossmen (1994-1998) and Eklipse (2003). Mr. Emerson has been awarded the KMEA 2nd District Middle School Music Educator of the year three times and is the 2004 winner of the Hopkins County Middle School teacher of the year.