The Bandys High Band Alumni Association
Then. Now. Forever. Trojans.
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The History of Bandys High Band Directors
The Bandys High School Band was originally founded with the school in 1954.
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Little is currently known about the early days of the Trojan Band. Our organization is still working with local historians and school staff to develop a better understanding of the early days of our beloved program. Please check back frequently for updates!
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If you have any information regarding the Bandys Band Program pre-1969, please reach out to our Executive Director Matt Brotherton at brothertonmatt@gmail.com
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Below you will see our director bios through the years since the band was reestablished in 1969 by Mr. Mike Smallridge.
Mike Smallridge (1969 - 1972)
In the Spring of 1969, Mike Smallridge was band director at Walton High School (a very small high school) in rural Roane County, West Virginia. Mr. Smallridge received his Bachelor of Science degree in music education from West Virginia Institute of Technology in Montgomery, West Virginia. A fellow band director in the nearby town of Spencer, West Virginia, knew that Mike was destined for bigger things. The friend was originally from North Carolina, and during a visit to his parents over Easter break, he found out that all five high schools in Catawba County, North Carolina, were looking for band directors. None of the high schools at that time had band programs. Several years had passed when band programs had existed. Upon his return to West Virginia, he told Mike about the band job openings, and Mr. Smallridge decided to submit his application.
A visit to North Carolina proved to be successful, and Mr. Smallridge was hired to be the band director at Bandys High School for Fall 1969. On the first day of school, he was shown a large closet in the hallway outside the gymnasium that contained a disarray of long idle band instruments. There was no band room or rehearsal room. Mr. Smallridge recruited some students who had some sort of musical background and began rehearsals in the hall outside the gym. He began working with the new recruits on the football field. There were no band uniforms. However, by the first home game, there was a band on the field dressed in black pants, white shirts and green/gold bandanas around their necks. The home crowd was very encouraging and that began a new chapter in instrumental music at Bandys High School.
In the next year, a Band Boosters group was assembled, and a committee was formed to design band uniforms. Inspired by the helmets of the University of Southern California’s Trojan helmets, Mr. Smallridge convinced the Boosters to order similar helmets for the Bandys Trojan Band. Mr. Smallridge was loved by his students and they benefited from his instruction, love of music, and gregarious personality. Mr. Smallridge left teaching in 1972 to pursue a career that would better provide financially for his family. However, his heart remained tied to those students who worked very hard to become the newly restored “Bandys High School Trojan Band”.
Sam Harbinson (1972 - 2003)
Charles Samuel (Sam) Harbinson received his Bachelor of Music Education from Appalachian State University and his Masters Degree in Secondary Education with a concentration in music from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Appalachian State University. Mr. Harbinson was the Director of Bands at Bandys High School for 31 years from 1972 through 2003. Sam taught beginning band at the Bandys feeder schools, Balls Creek School and Sherrills Ford School. His “band room” at Bandys was the lobby of the gym. He also taught chorus and guitar in his first years at Bandys. His first band in 1972 had 27 members. They wore new uniforms that had recently been purchased by the band booster club. As the band program began to grow, the current band room was built. It was enlarged in the 1990’s. When the band expanded to include over 120 members, the decision was made to create a freshman band. Marching band was held in the fall and concert band in the spring. A stage/jazz band was created. During this time, band directors and choral directors began teaching at the newly built middle schools and Mr. Harbinson became the full time Director of Bands at Bandys.
Under his direction, Bandys Trojan Band was awarded over 400 regional, state and local marching and concert awards. The band received thirteen “Superior” ratings in fifteen years at The North Carolina District Band Festival. Under Sam’s direction, the Bandys Trojan Band was selected to represent Catawba County in the Gubernatorial Inaugural Parade in Raleigh, N.C. in 1989. In 1993, the Trojan Band was selected to represent North Carolina in the Presidential Inaugural Parade in Washington, D.C. as the official North Carolina Representative. While in Washington, the band participated in the Ceremony of Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by placing a wreath at the Memorial. They also were guests at the NC Inaugural Ball. The senior band class of 1994 petitioned the Catawba County Board of Education to name the band building in honor of Mr. Harbinson. It was named the Harbinson Musical Arts Building. In 1996, Trojan Band was selected to represent North Carolina and South Carolina in the Austrian Millennium Celebration. The band gave several concerts in Vienna and Gratz. Mr. Harbinson worked closely with the Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University and the music department at Lenoir Rhyne University. Both schools placed student teachers at Bandys to work with Mr. Harbinson and his bands.
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Mr. Harbinson retired in 2003. Upon his retirement, the band booster club endowed a scholarship in his name at Appalachian to be awarded to music education students. Mr. Harbinson was employed by Appalachian State University as an advisor for student teachers in the Hayes School of Music. He was sought after as a judge and adjudicator for area band contests and festivals.
He passed away in 2016.
Ben Keisler (2003 - 2015)
Ben Keisler served as the Bandys High School Band Director from the fall of 2003 through the spring of 2015. Mr. Keisler is a graduate of Appalachian State University, where he was a North Carolina teaching fellow and graduated Summa Cum Laude in the spring of 2000. Mr. Keisler first joined the Bandys band program as a student teacher in the spring of 2000, and then served as the band’s Assistant Director from the fall of 2001 through the fall of 2003, when he took over as the Director of Bands upon Mr. Harbinson’s retirement. Under Mr. Keisler’s direction, the band program saw continued success in all ensembles, and built upon the proud traditions that the program has always been known for.
The Bandys ensembles consistently received Superior ratings and placed well in competitions under his leadership, including a myriad of Marching Band Awards, 2 Marching Band Grand Championships, Superior Ratings for the Symphonic Band at NC State MPA in both Grade IV and Grade V, Superior Ratings at the NC State Jazz Ensemble MPA, 3 Winter Guard Circuit Championships, 1 Winter Guard International Regional Finalist appearance, 3 Students placed into the All-Region Honors Jazz Ensemble and 19 students placed into the Northwest District All-District Honors Band over a span of nine consecutive years. More than any of these accolades, however, Mr. Keisler was most proud of the consistency that the band program showed over every performance medium under his tenure, and the number of quality people and great young leaders who were produced as a result of their time in the Trojan Band program. The thing that Mr. Keisler loved most about the Bandys program was the sense of community and family that has always been a hallmark of the program, and more than anything else, he takes great pride in the fact that the family- focused philosophy of the program was continued and deepened further under his leadership.
Nathan Brown (2015 - 2018)
Nathan Brown was the band director at Bandys for four years in the mid-2010's. He helped move the Trojan Band in a new direction, designating a full band staff, including wind instructors, for the first time in nearly 15 years, as well as designing and working with the boosters to obtain a new uniform for the program. He began the group's first indoor percussion ensemble in 2016. He initiated a remodel process of the band facilities, which are still being added upon each year to current day. Bands during his time at Bandys received Superior Ratings and Grand Champion Recognition during their marching and concert band seasons.
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He is the current director of bands at North Buncombe High School. He continues to work with bands and indoor percussion groups in Western North Carolina to continue sharing his passion with the next generation.
Uriah Futch (2018 - 2021)
Mr. Futch served for four years at Bandys and managed a great program in perhaps the most difficult time for music education, the COVID pandemic. Uriah preserved the rich history of the Trojan Band, while continuing to move the group steadily forward during this trying time in our history. Mr. Futch still assists bands across Catawba County with their marching shows.
Jason Partridge (2021 - 2023)
Mr. Partridge started his band career at Bandys High School. He served as the drum major his senior year and led the marching band in the Presidential Inaugural Parade in 1993. Jason received his bachelors and masters degrees in music education from Appalachian State University where he studied Alto Saxophone. He participated in the marching band as a marcher and drum major, wind ensemble and jazz ensemble. Mr. Partridge was a band director in the Charlotte area for over 22 years and served 3 years home at Bandys, continuing his mission to share his love of music with his students. Mr. Partridge still teaches middle school band in North Carolina.
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Nickey Horner (2023 - Current)
Nickey Horner joined the Bandys Community in late 2023 as the new band director at Bandys High School. She has been involved in band programs for over 30 years. She began her band career at George Wythe High School where she had an extremely successful program. In 2001, Mrs. Horner her husband came to North Carolina, and she chose to stay at home with her young daughter, Sydney, who is now 24 and pursuing a doctoral degree in flute performance at UMKC. She previously spent 10 years at Maiden High School, where again she built a very successful program. Music is her passion, so much so that she is involved in and conducts in several community bands and jazz bands. She is a co-conductor in the Lenoir Concert Band as well as the conductor of the Newton Conover Community Jazz Band. She has played and conducted in groups both in Virginia (Wytheville Community Band) and North Carolina (Mitchell Community College Band and Jazz Band, Newton Conover Community Band and Jazz Band, Sylvio Martinet Swing Band, Lenoir Community Band as well as a founding member of the Catawba Valley Brass.)
