Anthony Darnall is in his eleventh year as Director of Bands at Christian County High School. During his tenure, the CCHS Band has tripled in enrollment, received only Distinguished Ratings at Concert Band Festival Assessment, appeared as four times a KMEA Class 4A State Finalist, and the Jazz Band was selected to perform at the 2022 KMEA Music Educators In-Service Conference. Currently, he serves as the Marching Band Chair for the Third District Band Directors Association. Previously, he has served as the Band Chair and Jazz Chair. In 2020, he was awarded the KMEA Third District’s High School Teacher of the Year. In 2022, he was named Phi Beta Mu Outstanding Young Band Director for Kentucky. Mr. Darnall has regularly had students accepted for All-District, All-State, and Governor’s School for the Arts.

Mr. Darnall is a native of Mayfield, KY and graduated from Murray State University with a music education degree and continued his studies at the University of Alabama receiving a Master’s Degree in Trombone Performance. While at Alabama, Mr. Darnall was an adjunct graduate staff member for the Million Dollar Band. During the 2017-2018 school year, Mr. Darnall served as an Adjunct Professor of Trombone at Murray State University. He is an alumni member of Phi Mu Alpha. 

As a trombonist, Mr. Darnall has played in various ensembles. He has played in the Paducah Symphony (KY), Meridian Symphony (MS), Tuscaloosa Symphony (AL), the River Brass Band (IN), the Todd Hill Jazz Orchestra, and many other groups of various styles and genres. In 2015, he was Runner-Up for the Bach Big 12 Bass Trombone Competition in Lubbock, TX. In 2008, he placed fifth in the International Trombone Association George Roberts Competition. His primary trombone teachers were Raymond Conklin and Dr. Jon Whitaker. 

Mr. Darnall loves influencing the lives of young musicians. His greatest joys come from watching all of his students grow as people and musicians. He lives in Hopkinsville with his lovely wife, Kirstie, daughter, Kennedy Ray, and son, Jace Ryan.

A native of Central City, Kentucky, Mr. Jones is currently the Assistant Director of Bands at Christian County High School, in Hopkinsville, KY.

Previously, Mr. Jones served as assistant Director of Bands (2015-2019) and Director of Bands (2019-2026) at Hopkinsville High School in Hopkinsville, KY. Mr. Jones’ duties at Hopkinsville High School include concert band, marching band, small winds and assisting with the Hopkinsville Middle School Bands. The Hopkinsville High School Marching Band has been named a Kentucky Music Educators Association (KMEA) Class State Finalist in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2024 and 2025.  In 2016, the HHS Marching Band was awarded the KMEA 4A State Championship, the first in school history.  The 2017 edition of the HHS Marching Band was named State Runner-up in class 4A.  In 2019, the HHS Concert Band was selected as a featured ensemble at the KMEA In-Service Conference.  Additionally, the HHS Concert Band has received distinguished ratings at all KMEA assessments attended.  

Prior to his appointment at Hopkinsville High School, Mr. Jones was the Fine Arts teacher at Hanson Elementary School in Hanson, KY, from 2011-2013; and Director of Bands at Mt. Vernon High School in Mt. Vernon, IN from 2013-2015. 

During Mr. Jones’ tenure at Mt. Vernon, the MVHS Bands received numerous awards and recognitions.  The 2013-2014 MVHS Marching Band earned a coveted spot in the Indiana State Schools Music Association (ISSMA) Class C State Finals Competition.  Also during Mr. Jones’ time at Mt. Vernon, the concert band, jazz ensemble and percussion ensemble, received straight Gold (Distinguished) Ratings at all ISSMA events.  Mr. Jones and the MVHS Band were awarded the ISSMA All-Music Award, for overall program excellence, in both the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 school years; the first All-Music Awards in school history.  

Mr. Jones earned a Bachelor of Music Education from Murray State University (2010) and a Master of Music Education/Teacher Leadership from Western Kentucky University (2017).   

Mr. Jones is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, KMEA and MENC.

Currently, Mr. Jones resides in Hopkinsville, KY with his wife, Leslie, dog, Hank and cat, Riley.

Calvin Warren III, a native of Hopkinsville Ky, is the Assistant Director of Bands and Percussion Director at Christian County High School. Warren assists with the concert band and jazz band and directs the percussion program (grades 7-12). Under Warren’s direction, the Christian County Middle School Percussion Ensemble (2020) and the Christian County High School Percussion Ensemble (2021) were selected to perform at the Kentucky Music Educators In-Service Conference in Louisville, Ky. The Christian County High School Marching Band was selected as a KMEA Class 4A State-Finalist four times. Locally, the Christian County Percussion receive many accolades for their excellence. Warren serves as a staff member for the Hopkinsville-Christian County Indoor Ensemble. Prior to his appointment at Christian County, Warren served as the Director of Bands at Todd County Central. They were regular KMEA State Semifinalists and received consistent distinguished ratings at concert band assessments. 

In 2007, Mr. Warren earned a Bachelor’s of Music Education Degree from Murray State University. While at Murray State, Mr. Warren competed in the Snare and Tenor Competition at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, placing top five in both categories in consecutive years. Mr. Warren is an active percussion arranger, sound designer, composer, adjudicator, and clinician. He has arranged music for bands in over twenty states. Mr. Warren’s professional affiliations include the Kentucky Music Educators Association, the NAFME, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Percussive Arts Society. He is endorsed by Innovative Percussion and a published composer on TapSpace.

Noah Gawarecki is a dedicated music educator with a strong background in trumpet instruction and performance. A graduate of Western Kentucky University and the University of Kentucky. Noah brings years of experience teaching through private lessons, masterclasses, and coaching competitive marching ensembles across the state. As a private lesson teacher, Noah has had multiple trumpet students gain acceptance to All-District and All-State bands, as well as several Honor bands throughout the state.

As a performer, Noah has performed nationally with diverse musical ensembles such as the University of Kentucky Jazz Ensemble, who performed most recently at the 2024 Midwest Band and Orchestra clinic, as well as with the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps, who he performed with for three years and ultimately won a silver medal in 2022. Noah has also been recognized for his leadership and musicianship through awards with the Michael J. Woodall Leadership Award and the WKU Concerto Competition. His passion for music education and commitment to student success continues to drive his work both on and off the stage.

Ross Pendleton is the director of percussion at Hopkinsville High School, where he leads the instruction of the marching and concert percussion ensembles. His duties also include assisting in the instruction of the Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, and general music electives. In his time at HHS, he has reinstated the percussion ensemble program and helped lead the marching ensemble to two back-to-back KMEA State Finals appearances in 2024 and 2025. Ross has also mentored several students in successful auditions for the KMEA Third District All-District Bands as well as the KMEA All-State Bands.

Mr. Pendleton earned a Bachelors of University Studies from Morehead State University, where he studied under Brian S. Mason, Matthew Geiger, Joshua D. Smith, Jamie Vilseck, and Ben Cantrell. In his time at Morehead, Mr. Pendleton performed with the Percussion Ensemble, including the 2022 KMEA State Conference appearance, the Symphonic Winds, MSU Steel Band, and the MSU Marching Band. In 2020, Mr. Pendleton assisted in the percussion arranging of the MSU Marching Band’s Fall Production. In 2021, Mr. Pendleton competed in the Percussive Arts Society International Convention Individual and Ensemble competition on concert snare drum, where he placed third. Mr. Pendleton’s professional affiliations include the Kentucky Music Educator’s Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Sacred Winds Ministries, and the Percussive Arts Society.

Originally from Southern Illinois, Mr. Noah Siegfried graduated from Wesclin High School, where he began teaching private students even before entering college—demonstrating an early calling to education. He earned his Bachelor’s in Music Education from Murray State University, graduating with honors in 2025.

During his time at MSU, Siegfried actively participated in a wide variety of ensembles, performing on both euphonium and bass. His ensemble experience includes the Murray State Wind Ensemble, Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble, Brass Quintets, Jazz Bands, Pit Orchestras, a rock band, and the MSU Racer Band. He performed with the Murray State Pep Band, traveling to support the men’s basketball team at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in St. Louis for two consecutive years. In addition, he performed in the Murray State Wind Ensemble that performed at KMEA in 2025.

He studied euphonium under Dr. Todd French and guitar under Brent Webster, further developing his musicianship across multiple areas. Siegfried also arranged music for the Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble by request of Dr. French.

Siegfried is a proficient euphonium player and bassist, and in addition to assisting with the band program, he leads the guitar program at Christian County High School.

Lincoln Rowe earned a Bachelor of Music Education from Murray State University in 2009, where he studied with John Fannin, Dennis Johnson, Dr. Todd Hill, and Ray Conklin. He later earned a Master of Arts in Education–Teacher Leadership from Western Kentucky University in 2014, studying with Dr. Gary Schallert, and completed an Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree at the University of the Cumberlands in 2018.

Lincoln is currently in his first year as Director of Bands at Christian County Middle School in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Prior to this appointment, he served as Director of Bands at Ohio County High School in Beaver Dam, Kentucky, for fourteen years. During his tenure, the Ohio County Concert Band earned 17 Distinguished Ratings at district and state concert assessments. In 2026, the Ohio County Indoor Winds  was a WGI Sport of the Arts Winds Scholastic A Finalist.

In addition to his work in the classroom, Lincoln serves each summer on the faculty of the Sweetwater Director Academy at the Music for All Summer Symposium in Muncie, Indiana. He is also a nationally sought-after adjudicator for the marching arts and is a member of the Central States Judges Association.

Lincoln maintains active membership in the American School Band Directors Association, Kentucky Music Educators Association, Kentucky Education Association, National Education Association, National Association for Music Education, National Band Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America.

Brandon McKinley serves as Director of Bands at Hopkinsville Middle School, where he is entering his eleventh year as a music educator. During his tenure at HMS, both the 7th grade and 8th grade bands have earned consistent Distinguished Ratings at KMEA Concert Assessment. In addition, the HMS Jazz Band has received Distinguished Ratings at the Murray State University-Jamey Aebersold Jazz Festival in its first two years of existence. 

Mr. McKinley is a proud alumnus of Hopkinsville High School (Class of 2008) and holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Music Education from Murray State University. During his graduate studies, he served as graduate assistant to Dr. Todd Hill, Mr. John Fannin, and Dr. Eric Swisher, holding the title of Secondary Instructor of Jazz Ensembles and Instructor on Record for all MUS 100 Jazz Ensembles. He also served as a staff member of the Racerband and taught private trumpet lessons to undergraduate music majors. His primary trumpet teacher was Dr. Eric Swisher.

In addition to his work in music education, Mr. McKinley serves as a Staff Sergeant in the United States Army, where he performs as a musician with the 100th Army Band based out of Fort Knox, Kentucky. SSG McKinley leads the 100th Army Band’s “Gold Standard Jazz Band,” which performed at the 2024 Kentucky Music Educators Association (KMEA) Professional Development Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. His additional duties with the 100th Army Band include performing funeral honors, playing with the concert band and brass quintet, serving as trumpet section leader, and serving as a Supply NCO.

Mr. McKinley has worked with both the Christian County Colonel Band and Hopkinsville Band of Tigers over the past 4 years and is greatly looking forward to helping with the Christian County Tiger Band in its inaugural year. 

Mr. McKinley resides in Cadiz, KY with his wife Hannah and their two Australian Shepherds, Theo and Mando. 

Troy Jones is the Color Guard Director at Christian County High School in Hopkinsville, KY. Mr. Jones brings over 40 years of teaching excellence to the Tiger Band, having lead programs at
Butler County High School (KY), Madisonville-North Hopkins High School (KY), Daviess County High School (KY), and Hopkinsville High School (KY).

Mr. Jones’ groups consistently perform at an elite level and have won numerous awards over the years – from the marching band field with multiple KMEA state championships, to the winterguard floor with having won bronze, silver, and gold medals in all Southeastern Color Guard Circuit (SCGC) classifications from Cadet Class to Scholastic A and having won the bronze medal in Independent A with “Fusion.” Jones attributes his success by teaching with intensity, energy, passion, determination, and being focused on helping his students understand they can achieve incredible success through hard work. Dozens of Jones’ former students are
leading their own successful and award-winning programs.

A native of Muhlenberg County, KY, Jones attended Kentucky Wesleyan College where he majored in music education and is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Jones resides in Hopkinsville with his wife, Jean, and their dogs, Lily, Susie, and Murphy.

Mason Bumgardner, originally from Henderson, Kentucky, is an experienced and passionate colorguard educator and performer. Now based in Murray, KY, Mason brings a strong performance and instructional background to his role as Colorguard Director.

Mason’s performance experience includes two seasons with The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps (2021–2022) and ongoing involvement with Revival Winterguard (2023–2025). His dedication to the activity is matched by a growing resume of teaching experience.

From 2021 to 2024, Mason was on staff with the F.J. Reitz High School Marching Band in Evansville, IN, where he most recently served as Assistant Colorguard Director. He also worked as a technician with Castle High School during the 2022 winter season and has been a consistent contributor to the EVSC Honors Winterguard programs from 2022 to 2025. In addition, he has assisted in various roles with Princeton Community, Jasper High School, and Revival Winterguard.

Mason is thrilled to bring his energy, experience, and vision to this new role and looks forward to an exciting and successful season ahead.