Summer Band Directors Symposium

David Kehler serves as Director of Bands and Professor of Music at the Bobbie Bailey School of Music where he is Music Director and Conductor of the KSU Wind Ensemble. In addition, Dr. Kehler teaches courses in instrumental conducting, symphonic repertoire, and twentieth century music. Professor Kehler is also the recipient of several awards including the Kennesaw State University College of Arts 2020 Teaching Award, and the 2021 Research and Creative Activity Award. An advocate of new music, Dr. Kehler has commissioned more than two-dozen composers, including several Pulitzer Prize winners to write new compositions for wind ensemble. In addition to his university responsibilities, David Kehler serves as Music Director and Conductor of the Atlanta Wind Symphony, along with serving on the Board of Directors for the College Band Directors National Association, and as the CBDNA Southern Division President.  

Previously, David Kehler served as Associate Conductor of America's Premiere Windband; The Dallas Winds and served as Founder and Conductor of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra Wind Symphony. Previous academic appointments were at Southern Methodist University, the University of Rhode Island, and Bay City Western High School, in Bay City, Michigan. Growing up in Michigan, Dr. Kehler received his Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music in Conducting degrees from Michigan State University, followed by his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in instrumental conducting from the University of Texas at Austin. 

Dr. Sarah McKoin is an internationally highly regarded wind band conductor and music education advocate who currently serves as the Director of Bands, Professor of Music, and Chair of the conducting area at Texas Tech University. Under Dr. McKoin’s direction, the Symphonic Wind Ensemble has been featured at the Midwest Clinic, multiple Texas Music Educators Association Conferences, the North American Saxophone Alliance, the College Music Society conference, and CBDNA conferences. Her ensemble is featured on Albany, Naxos, and Mark recordings.

Widely sought as a guest conductor and clinician, Dr. McKoin has worked extensively in the United States and abroad as a conductor for All-State and other honor band festivals and has traveled to Canada, China, Thailand, Taiwan, and Israel where she served as producer for the world premiere recording of Roberto Sierra's Fantasia Correliana with the Castellani-Andriaccionguitar duo and Israeli Chamber Orchestra. She has taught at the Interlochen Arts Academy and most recently developed a summer instrumental Chamber Music program with the Music in the Marche festival in Mondavio, Italy.

Dr. McKoin has held appointments at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music, the State University of New York at Buffalo and SUNY Fredonia, and the Brevard Music Center. She has served as President of the Southwest Division of the College Band Director's
National Association and as President of the Big 12 Band Director’s Association. She is a member of the American Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Phi Beta Mu, Pi Kappa Lambda, and serves as faculty sponsor of the service fraternities Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma.

Josh Byrd serves as Director of Bands and Professor of Music at the University of West Georgia. His primary responsibilities include conducting the Wind Ensemble, teaching conducting and music education courses, and supervising student teachers.  Prior to his appointment he served as the band director at Arrowhead High School in Hartland, Wisconsin and assistant band director at Lanier Middle School and Norcross High School in Gwinnett County.

Dr. Byrd received a DMA in Conducting from the University of Georgia where he studied with John Lynch and minored in Music Theory.  He received his Master of Music degree in Conducting while studying with Tom Dvorak at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Georgia where he studied saxophone with Kenneth Fischer and conducting with Dwight Satterwhite and John Culvahouse.

Dr. Byrd is an active clinician and conductor, having recently presented at the 2017 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, 2018 CBDNA National Conference, and the 2018 GMEA annual In-Service conference both as a clinician and as conductor of the UWG Wind Ensemble. In 2020, the UWG Wind Ensemble performed at the CBDNA Southern Division Conference for the first time in the program’s history. He is also a published arranger; his newest works include Beethoven’s “Opus 103b” and Wiggin’s March Timpani (Maestro and Fox Music, 2020) and Chabrier’s España Rhapsody (C. Alan Publications, 2022).

Dr. Byrd lives in Carrollton with his wife, Katie, and their two children, Tripp and Haley.

Brandon Meeks is from Charlotte, North Carolina, and is currently the director of athletic bands and assistant professor of music education at Kennesaw State University. He is a graduate of Florida State University where he received his PhD and master’s in music education. He is also a graduate of Western Carolina University where he received a Bachelor of Science in music education. From 2009-2016, he served as the director of bands at East Lincoln Middle School in Iron Station, N.C. Dr. Meeks is a National Board-Certified Teacher, holds honorary memberships to Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma, was named the 2013 East Lincoln Middle School Teacher of the Year, and was named the 2016 N.C. South Central Bandmasters Young Director Award for Excellence. He is an active presenter across the Southeast and currently resides in Woodstock, Georgia. 

Dr. Daniel Lee is privileged to serve as the assistant director of bands at Kennesaw State University. His duties at KSU include conducting the Wind Symphony and the University Band, assisting with the Marching Band, and teaching courses in music education. Prior to joining the KSU Bands, Lee served as a graduate part-time instructor at Texas Tech University, teaching and assisting with all aspects of the concert and athletic band programs as well as the undergraduate conducting courses. Lee has over a decade of experience teaching band and orchestra at the middle and high school levels and has conducted both opera and musical theatre (including two shows in collaboration with the TTU School of Theatre and Dance) throughout his career. Originally from the Denver area, Lee has taught in Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Texas. He holds memberships in Pi Kappa Lambda, and Phi Kappa Phi, and is an Honorary Member of Phi Mu Alpha, Tau Beta Sigma, and Kappa Kappa Psi. In addition to his role at KSU, Lee serves as the conductor for the Philharmonic Orchestra at GYSO.

Dr. Sorenson is Assistant Professor of Music Education (Instrumental) at Kennesaw State University. She holds degrees from Stetson University and Florida State University, where she completed an MME and Ph.D in music education. She has taught a wide range of courses at Purdue University, Fort Wayne, as well as at Florida State, and previously served as a band director in the Central Florida area. An active scholar, she has been published in Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, Contributions to Music Education, and in Research Perspectives in Music Education, and has presented nationally and internationally. Her research interests include pre-service music teacher preparation, mentoring, and the Impostor Phenomenon.