West TN Small Band Championship
The Jackson Christian Eagle Marching Band will host our second annual band competition, “The West Tennessee Small Band Championship,” on October 21, 2023. We will accept twenty bands into competition. Admission is $10 cash at the gate. A schedule will be provided in Oct. 2023.
Competing Bands:
Register your band here.
Alex Sears – Music Ensemble
Alex Sears is entering his 12th year of teaching and his 3rd year as the Director of Bands at the new Rockvale HIgh School in Murfreesboro, TN. Prior to his appointment at Rockvale, he served as band director and taught marching bands at Siegel High School, Eagleville School, and Marshall County HIgh School. During his time at these schools, his ensembles regularly achieved superior ratings at competitions and festivals including multiple BO Regional Finalist appearances, a US Bands Regional Championship, and being named Reserve Grand Champion and Honorable Mention at the Contest of Champions at MTSU.
In addition to teaching, Alex is also an active composer and arranger of wind books for both marching band and indoor winds. Ensembles he has written for have been named finalists at the Tennessee Division 2 State Band Championships and have earned medals at the SCGC WInds Circuit Championships. He currently serves as a staff arranger for SOuth Coast Music and Design.
A graduate of Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, TN, Mr. Sears received his undergraduate degree in instrumental music education. He spent two summers marching with the Esperanza Drum And Bugle Corps from San Diego, CA, and won the 2006 Drum Corps International Individual and Ensemble gold medal for trombone.
Scott Steward – Music Effect
Scott, a 2012 Dove Award winner who also recorded on a 2009 Grammy Nominated Recording Project, is a trumpet player who has made quite a mark as a musician in L.A. and Nashville. He has played lead trumpet for the FOX Reality Show “Next Great American Band,” finalist “Denver & The Mile High Orchestra” for many years ,as well as worked on jobs with the Paul Cacia Jazz Orchestra, Louie Bellson, Bill Watrous, Natalie Grant, Casting Crowns, Jimmy Smith, Milt Bernhart, Pete Rugolo, Bobby Shew and many others. In 2013 Scott performed at Carnegie Hall as principal trumpet with the Mannhattan Pops Orchestra as well as an artist appearance with Denver & The Mile High Orchestra on the same night. In his youth, he performed as a Soloist for The Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps and The Freelancers Drum & Bugle Corps.
As an educator, Scott has worked on staff for many reputable drum corps and high school programs, including The Spirit Of Atlanta, The Madison Scouts, The William Mason High School Band, The Franklin High School Band, The Siegel High School Band, The Etiwanda High School Band and for almost two decades, The McGavock High School Band.
Chris Lowry – Visual Ensemble
Chris Lowry is one of the band directors at Rockvale High School in Murfreesboro, TN. He holds a Master of Music degree in Wind Band Conducting and a Bachelors in Music Education from Middle Tennessee State University.
Mr. Lowry currently performs on the Titans Blue Crew Drum Line. He marched in the drum line of the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps in 2014, and with Music City Mystique Percussion Ensemble in 2013 and 2015. He is an Innovative Percussion Artist.
Mr. Lowry is a member of the National Association for Music Education, Tennessee Music Education Association, and is the webmaster for MTSBOA. He resides in Murfreesboro with his wife Rebecca and sons James and Isaac.
Corey Smith – Visual Effect
Corey Smith (Southaven, MS), has been active in the marching and visual arts since 6th grade, beginning on trombone after viewing the movie, The Music Man. After high school, Corey was a member of the University of Memphis music program for five years while majoring in English. At fifteen he began his seven years as an active DCI marching member, both as a lead baritone and as a member of the color guard. Memphis Blues Brass Band (82, 83), 27th Lancers (84, 85, 86), Madison Scouts (87, 88). During this time, he was fortunate to develop his marching technique and teaching methods from Ken Geise, DCI Hall of Fame Members George Zingali, Marc Sylvester, and Todd Ryan, and many others. After aging out from DCI and WGI, Corey went directly into consulting, writing, instructing, and adjudicating for programs coast to coast. Some include 3-time Governor’s Cup Champion West Memphis HS (AR), Brentwood Academy (TN), Fox HS (Arnold, MO), Center Hill HS (Olive Branch, MS), Downers Grove South HS ( IL), Paragould HS (AR), Pocahontas HS (AS), Bishop Hendricken HS (RI), and dozens more. Corey served as a Corps Director for the Madison Scouts during the 2007 season. For four years he was on the visual staff at Music City Drum and Bugle Corps. Corey was Assistant Tour Manager and Tour Director for the Spirit of Atlanta. He has also been on the visual staff of the eight time DCUK Champion and three-time Drum Corps Europe Champions Kidsgrove Scouts from Kidsgrove, Staffordshire, England.
Corey was most recently on the visual staff at Southaven High School (MS), working with the marching band, winter guard, and indoor percussion units. He judges winter guard as a member of the Gulf Coast Judges Association. He continues to participate in the activity as a performer, marching as part of the Madison Scouts Alumni Reunion Project with 225 fellow alumni in 2006, with 425 Madison Scouts current members and alumni in the 2014 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and over 200 Scouts Alumni in the 2020 Orpheus Mardis Gras Parade in New Orleans.
Adrian Baker – Percussion
Adrian Baker is a Middle Tennessee native, currently serving as the Assistant Principal at Sycamore High School in Pleasant View, TN. Prior to being in education administration, he served as a band director for eight years in Middle Tennessee. Mr. Baker has directed and taught several award-winning ensembles, both middle and high school, public and private. In addition to teaching, Mr. Baker serves as composer/designer/arranger/
Haley Santilli – Color Guard
Haley Santilli is from Franklin, TN and graduated from Middle Tennessee State University in 2016. In the summers of 2011 and 2012, Ms. Santilli marched with Music City Drum Corps and was an Open Class Finalist. She also marched in the summer of 2013 with Troopers Drum and Bugle corps. Ms. Santilli was on the visual staff for Spirt of Atlanta in 2016. She also marched with Lexis World Class Winter Guard in the winters of 2017 and 2018 and was a World Class Finalist in 2017. Ms. Santilli is currently the guard director at Giles County High school in Pulaski, TN and at Independence High School in Thompson’s Station, TN. Previously, Ms. Santilli has worked with groups across Tennessee as well as Northern Alabama, including Sparkman High School, Adamsville High School, Fred J. Page and Spring Hill High School. Ms. Santilli consistently helps her color guards achieve a high standard of excellence, both in the fall and winter activities. She has won multiple Division Two State Championships and well as medaled in both the SCGC and Tri-State circuits. Outside of color guard, Ms. Santilli is a paralegal for a personal injury firm and enjoys spending time with her daughter.
