Brian York - Director of Bands

Mr. Brian York is in his 23rd year as a music educator.

Mr. York received his Master of Music from the American Band College of Central Washington University in the Summer of 2019. He earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Music Performance and Education from the University of West Florida in the spring of 2000 under the supervision of Professors Richard Glaze and Wayne Webster.  He studied private percussion from Dr. Gary Werdeshime (Florida State University), Dr. John Wooten (University of Southern Mississippi), and Keith Connelly (drum set player with 70’s rock band 3 Dog Night).  While in Pensacola, he performed with the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, the Okaloosa Chamber Orchestra, the Pensacola Opera, and the Pensacola Little Theatre.

Mr. York became the Middle School Director/Assistant High School Band Director at Star City School District in June of 2014 and took over as the Director of Bands in the fall of 2016. Prior to moving to Star City, he was the Director of Bands at Citrus High School (Inverness, FL) for 9 years, the band director/Performing Arts department chair at Pensacola High School (Pensacola, FL) for 4 years, and the Band and Choir Director/General Music Teacher at Pensacola Catholic High School for 2 years.  He was also the adjunct percussion professor at the University of West Florida from 2000 to 2002. 

Mr. York frequently composes musical arrangements and consults at band camps throughout Florida, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana. He has served as the vice president of the Arkansas Chapter of Percussive Arts Society and is currently the region secretary/treasurer for ASBOA Region 3. He is also an active member of the National Association for Music Education, the National Band Association, The Arkansas School Band and Orchestra Association, and The Arkansas Bandmasters Association.

Brian York is an educational artist for Innovative Percussion, Mapex/Majestic Percussion, Jupiter Instruments, and Evans Drumheads.  He serves as the Worship Leader at Yorktown First Baptist Church, and he currently resides in Star City, AR with his wife Denise and 3 children, Sebastian, Taylor, and Spencer.

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