K.J. Stafford is in his sixteenth year as band director at Hickory Middle School. His responsibilities include directing the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade bands, jazz band, woodwind choir, percussion ensembles and currently serves as music department chair. K.J. also assists with the Hickory High School marching band, and was the director for the WGI Champion Hickory Concert Ensemble. Under the direction of Mr. Stafford the Hickory Middle School Band has consistently received top ratings at concert band assessment and in 2009, the Hickory Middle School eighth grade band performed at the Virginia Music Educators State Conference in Hot Springs, Virginia.
Outside of his work at Hickory Middle School, Mr. Stafford is in demand as an arranger, adjudicator, clinician, designer and instructor with groups throughout the United States. He has been involved with Drum Corps International for almost two decades, currently serving as the Assistant Percussion Caption Head for the Santa Clara Vanguard, from Santa Clara, California. During his DCI instructional career, he has earned six Fred Sanford Awards for Best Percussion (2010, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) and one Drum Corps International World Championship with the 2018 Santa Clara Vanguard.
K.J. earned his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from the University of North Texas in Denton, TX. While at North Texas, Mr. Stafford studied under Paul Rennick, Christopher Deane, Mark Ford and Dr. Robert Schietroma. He has also earned a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.
Mr. Stafford’s professional affiliations include the Percussive Arts Society, NAfME, VBODA and VMEA. K.J. is proud to be an education artist for Innovative Percussion, Sabian Cymbals and Remo Drumheads.
K.J. currently lives in Chesapeake with his wife Lanah and their son Ethan.
Barron Maskew is a band director at Hickory Middle School and also assists with the Hickory High School marching band. Mr. Maskew is a graduate of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia where he has earned two degrees, a Bachelor’s in Music Education and a Masters in Music Education with an emphasis in conducting.
Previously he has served as the Band Director at Hickory High School in Chesapeake, Virginia and as the Band and Orchestra Director at Parkville High School in Parkville, Maryland. In the positions, he gained experience in a multitude of ensemble classes including, marching band, jazz band, string orchestra, guitar, steel drums, percussion ensemble, wind ensemble, winter percussion and winter guard.
Outside of work Mr. Maskew has served as visual co-caption head of Carolina Gold Drum and Bugle Corps and Carolina Gold Winds. He is also an active drill writer who has arranged for multiple high school marching bands, the ODU Marching Band, and for the ODU Drumline in their performance with the Virginia International Tattoo.
In his experience, he has been a member of Jersey Surf Drum and Bugle Corps (2009, 2010) and Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps (2012) as a member of the tuba section where he was a DCI silver medalist and a member of a horn line that as awarded the Jim Ott Award for Best Brass Performance and John Brazil Award for Best Visual Performance. He has also played in multiple community ensembles including the Bel Air Community Band, the Baltimore Philharmonia Orchestra, and Virginia Wind Symphony.
Mr. Maskew’s professional affiliations include MBDNA, NAfME, VBODA and VMEA.
Mitchell Reed Bio Coming Soon….
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