KS Sousa Honor Band

The BLUE BAND will be led by Randall Standridge. Randall Standridge (b.1976) earned his Bachelor’s in Music Education from Arkansas State University, where he also studied composition under Dr. Tom O’Connor. He later obtained his Master’s in Music Composition from the same university. Since 2001, he has served as the Director of Bands at Harrisburg High School in Arkansas but left in 2013 to focus on composing and designing for marching arts.

Mr. Standridge is published by several companies, including Grand Mesa Music and Alfred Music, and his works are performed around the world. His compositions Snake Charmer, Gently Blows the Summer Wind, and Angelic Celebrations are highlighted in the “Teaching Music Through Performance in Band” series, and he has had pieces performed at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago. His composition Art(isms) premiered at the 2010 CBDNA conference, and Stonewall: 1969 was debuted at the National LGBA conference in 2019. He also contributes to Alfred Music’s Sound Innovations series.

Aside from composing, Mr. Standridge owns and edits Randall Standridge Music, LLC, and Grand Mesa Marching. He is sought after as a drill designer, music arranger, and colorguard designer, along with being a freelance artist and writer. He resides in Jonesboro, Arkansas with his family.

The RED BAND will be led by Erin Cole Steele. Erin Cole Steele is the Director of the Division of Education and Senior Educational Clinician for Conn Selmer Inc. Erin also serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Arizona State University’s School of Music. Previously, Erin was the Director of Bands at Tapp Middle School in Cobb County, Georgia (1995-2017), where she was named Teacher of the Year. Under her leadership, the Tapp Band received numerous accolades, including performing at the 58th annual Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. During her tenure at Tapp, she commissioned four pieces of music, including Robert W. Smith’s “The Great Locomotive Chase,” Frank Ticheli’s “Simple Gifts-Four Shaker Songs,” Samuel R. Hazo’s ”Ascend,” and was part of consortium commissioning Eric Whitacre’s “The Seal Lullaby.”  

Erin is a contributing editor for Hal Leonard’s Essential Elements for Band.  She has written chapters for three editions of the GIA publication series Teaching Music Through Performance and most recently wrote a chapter for the book Rehearsing the Middle School Band. Erin is an active guest conductor and speaker. She has presented sessions at the Midwest Clinic on several occasions as well as state and international conferences. She has been the guest conductor for numerous All-State and regional honor bands, appearing in over 30 states. She served as the conductor for Youth Bands of Atlanta from 2011-2017 and a conductor for the “Encore” Music Camp for several years. She was the founder and administrator of the Cobb County Summer Band Camp in Georgia. Erin has served as a clinician for the Music for All Summer Symposium and is currently on the teaching faculty and executive director for The Conn Selmer Institute.Erin Cole Steele earned her bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Georgia in 1995. While at the University of Georgia, she played cello, flute, and piccolo in the University Symphony Orchestra, chamber groups, Symphonic and Concert Bands, and the Redcoat Marching Band.Erin’s professional affiliations include Phi Beta Mu, Sigma Alpha Iota, and the National Band Association, for which she was awarded the Citation of Excellence three times (2015, 2008, and 2003)

As a passionate supporter of school music programs, she continues to remain active in instrumental classrooms throughout the country and enjoys traveling for guest conducting and speaking engagements. Erin now resides in Scottsdale, Arizona where she and her husband Andrew enjoy hiking and biking on the weekends.