History of Directors |
2021-present Noah Brant
Noah Brant started at Paint Valley in a unique way. The transition between Mr. Turon and Mr. Brant was made difficult as the district needed Mr. Turon to start his new position at the beginning of January 2021, but Mr. Brant did not have his license until the end of that January. But eventually, Mr. Brant did get his feet in the door and started learning the lay of the land.
In the first few months at Paint Valley, Mr. Brant successfully led the program through various concerts/performances and laid the foundation for the coming year. This included creating a schedule that had all 6th grade students take band at the beginning of the 2021 school year in order to increase recruitment, as well as overhauling the instrument inventory to refurbish, replace, and purchase new instruments for the foreseeable future. The expansion of the Booster program to include a Social Media Director was undertaken in the summer before the 2021-2022 year, and a transition in the way the program was organized was beginning.
In the first few months at Paint Valley, Mr. Brant successfully led the program through various concerts/performances and laid the foundation for the coming year. This included creating a schedule that had all 6th grade students take band at the beginning of the 2021 school year in order to increase recruitment, as well as overhauling the instrument inventory to refurbish, replace, and purchase new instruments for the foreseeable future. The expansion of the Booster program to include a Social Media Director was undertaken in the summer before the 2021-2022 year, and a transition in the way the program was organized was beginning.
2014-2021 Nicholas Turon
Ever since taking over, the band program has grown immensely. Check out this link to see the specific numbers broken down by grade level. To give a snap shot, There were roughly 50 people in the total band program when Mr. Turon took over: 5th-12th grade. Just four years later, that number grew to 140: 180% growth.
Marching Band became optional under this director. In 2014, you no longer had to be in marching band to be in band class. While we saw an initial drop in marching band numbers (17 marching instead of a potential 23), it was more than made up for in recruitment numbers, recruiting over half of the 5th graders into band in each subsequent year as timid 5th grade students and parents did not need to fear being forced into the major time commitment of marching band. The marching band was 8th-12th grade.
This is when the band moved all of their documents to electronic files stored on Google Docs. An electronic music library was created along with an electronic instrument inventory, the beginnings of an alumni database, and the starting of this band history page.
This was also the era of new ensembles and organizations! The Paint Valley Community Band (2015), Ross-Brown Beginning Honor Band (2016), Ross County Band Directors Association (2016), Christmas in the Valley (2016) Ross County Summer Youth Band (2018), and Ross-Brown Woodwind Clinic (2019) were all formed during this time.
Marching Band became optional under this director. In 2014, you no longer had to be in marching band to be in band class. While we saw an initial drop in marching band numbers (17 marching instead of a potential 23), it was more than made up for in recruitment numbers, recruiting over half of the 5th graders into band in each subsequent year as timid 5th grade students and parents did not need to fear being forced into the major time commitment of marching band. The marching band was 8th-12th grade.
This is when the band moved all of their documents to electronic files stored on Google Docs. An electronic music library was created along with an electronic instrument inventory, the beginnings of an alumni database, and the starting of this band history page.
This was also the era of new ensembles and organizations! The Paint Valley Community Band (2015), Ross-Brown Beginning Honor Band (2016), Ross County Band Directors Association (2016), Christmas in the Valley (2016) Ross County Summer Youth Band (2018), and Ross-Brown Woodwind Clinic (2019) were all formed during this time.
In 2017, both the high school and middle school bands were taken to OMEA contest for the first time in over 20 years! The middle school band earned an "Excellent" rating (II), and the high school band earned a "Superior" rating (I)! This qualified the PVHS Band to travel to Gahanna High School at the end of April to compete in OMEA State Large Group -- the first time, to any of our knowledge, that Paint Valley has been represented at the this level. You can read the whole (front page) Chillicothe Gazette article here. At state contest, the High School Band earned an "Excellent" rating with comments from judges like "This is the best I have heard this piece performed this entire contest season" and "a few too many minor issues for the top rating at the state level."
The following school year (2017-2018), the accomplishments only compounded. The Paint Valley Marching Band won Pickaway-Ross Battle of the Bands this year for the first time since 2011. The Concert Band qualified for state again for the second time in school history, this time with Straight Superior Ratings from all 4 judges! And finally, the high school band went on to earn their first ever Superior Rating at OMEA State Large Group (2018).
The following school year (2017-2018), the accomplishments only compounded. The Paint Valley Marching Band won Pickaway-Ross Battle of the Bands this year for the first time since 2011. The Concert Band qualified for state again for the second time in school history, this time with Straight Superior Ratings from all 4 judges! And finally, the high school band went on to earn their first ever Superior Rating at OMEA State Large Group (2018).
Mr. Turon took the band on two interstate trips: Chicago (2017) and Washington DC (2020). In 2017, Mr. Turon also began the tradition of bringing the top band on a college visit/clinic every year before District Adjudicated Event: Ohio State University (2017, 2020), University of Cincinnati (2018), Capital University (2019). This was an enormous opportunity for students who have never been to a college campus and for students in their junior and senior year to seriously consider being in band at college.
Mr. Turon left Paint Valley in January of 2021 when the Paint Valley Administrative team approached him and asked if he would be willing to lead a new department. The 2020 pandemic brought to light a dire need to address the district's tech deficit. Mr. Turon was brought in to address this need and bring professional development, develop new student leadership opportunities in tech, and bolster our technical preparedness for distance and blended learning. Mr. Turon leaves behind the wall painted with the alma mater (2016), new marching band uniforms (2019), and a now established tradition of excellence.
The search for a new band director was completed in December of 2020 with Noah Brant, a fresh Ohio University Graduate excited to "bloom where he is planted!"
Mr. Turon left Paint Valley in January of 2021 when the Paint Valley Administrative team approached him and asked if he would be willing to lead a new department. The 2020 pandemic brought to light a dire need to address the district's tech deficit. Mr. Turon was brought in to address this need and bring professional development, develop new student leadership opportunities in tech, and bolster our technical preparedness for distance and blended learning. Mr. Turon leaves behind the wall painted with the alma mater (2016), new marching band uniforms (2019), and a now established tradition of excellence.
The search for a new band director was completed in December of 2020 with Noah Brant, a fresh Ohio University Graduate excited to "bloom where he is planted!"
2013-2014 Julia Houston | Victoria Aukerman
This was a rough year for the Paint Valley Band program. A reduction in force (RIF) caused the school district to release 19 staff members across various areas; among those released was the PV band director: Justin Cooper. With the position removed, Paint Valley's general music teacher, Julia Houston, was suddenly in charge of the entire music program for the whole district, including the band program.
Ms. Houston would be the first to tell you that she was not a band expert in the slightest and fought her hardest for Mr. Cooper to keep his job. In the end, she was able to bring in a second person, who played an instrument in high school, to run the marching band: Victoria Aukerman.
The band survived the year, but at a great loss to enrollment and quality. The...notable final public performance at Paint Valley High School's graduation ceremony was enough to convince a newly elected school board to hire back a certified band director. The person they hired was Nicholas Turon.
Ms. Houston would be the first to tell you that she was not a band expert in the slightest and fought her hardest for Mr. Cooper to keep his job. In the end, she was able to bring in a second person, who played an instrument in high school, to run the marching band: Victoria Aukerman.
The band survived the year, but at a great loss to enrollment and quality. The...notable final public performance at Paint Valley High School's graduation ceremony was enough to convince a newly elected school board to hire back a certified band director. The person they hired was Nicholas Turon.
2010-2013 Justin Cooper
Mr. Cooper breathed a breath of fresh air into the Paint Valley Band Program, and evidence of that was quickly given. In 2010 for the first time Paint Valley won the Pickaway-Ross Vocational School Battle of the Bands contest! This created buy-in to his vision of the band program as one that models after Ohio University's marching band.
Mr. Cooper put in great effort to establish infrastructure by alphabetizing the music library, cataloging important band documents, and started replacing instruments that had been long neglected. Paint Valley was not a stepping stone for Mr. Cooper, her was here to stay. It came at great shock to him and the band community, then, when the school district announced a Reduction in Force (RIF) that would both take Mr. Cooper out of Paint Valley and leave the band program, effectively, without a band director for a whole year.
Mr. Cooper put in great effort to establish infrastructure by alphabetizing the music library, cataloging important band documents, and started replacing instruments that had been long neglected. Paint Valley was not a stepping stone for Mr. Cooper, her was here to stay. It came at great shock to him and the band community, then, when the school district announced a Reduction in Force (RIF) that would both take Mr. Cooper out of Paint Valley and leave the band program, effectively, without a band director for a whole year.
2005-2010 Stephanie Ryan
2004-2005 Dennis Farmer
2001-2004 Mike Cale
2004-2005 Dennis Farmer
2001-2004 Mike Cale
1998-2001 Shawn Brehm
A native of Raymond, Ohio, and a graduate of Marysville High School, Mr. Brehm obtained his Batchlers of Music Education from THE Ohio State University in 1995. While at OSU Brehm was a member of The Ohio State Marching Band from 1991 - 1995 on Sousaphone, and was a five-time i-dotter.
After graduating Brehm spent the next two years as the Band Director of the Lincolnview Local School District in Van Wert County Ohio before coming to serve as the Paint Valley Director of Bands from 1998-2001. During his three years at Paint Valley he was able to grow the high school band program from 17 students to 43 when he left in 2001!
Beyond numbers, Mr. Brehm worked hard to improve the quality of musicianship at Paint Valley. This is the first recorded instance of Paint Valley going to OMEA District contest where they earned an Excellent (II) rating in 2001. Also in these three years, Mr. Brehm took the Paint Valley Band to compete in Toronto, Canada (1999) where both the Concert and Jazz Bands earned Superior Ratings! Also in there was a trip to Florida, but I do not know the details around that.
On the Marching Band side of the job, even though he was a graduate of OSU, Mr. Brehm continued the tradition of the OU style dance band and added some other flair. In 1998, borrowing from the OSU tradition of Script "Ohio," the Marching Bearcats did a Script "Cats" to the trio section of National Emblem March.
Though he left Paint Valley in 2001 to pursue his masters degree at Washington State University, Mr. Brehm spoke very highly of his time at Paint Valley claiming "this is where I learned to love what I do . . . even though Derek Free (PV student at the time) made it hard some days!"
Last I heard Mr. Brehm just began a new teaching assignment with the Wellpinit School District on the Spokane Indian Reservation in the state of Washington in the fall of 2017.
After graduating Brehm spent the next two years as the Band Director of the Lincolnview Local School District in Van Wert County Ohio before coming to serve as the Paint Valley Director of Bands from 1998-2001. During his three years at Paint Valley he was able to grow the high school band program from 17 students to 43 when he left in 2001!
Beyond numbers, Mr. Brehm worked hard to improve the quality of musicianship at Paint Valley. This is the first recorded instance of Paint Valley going to OMEA District contest where they earned an Excellent (II) rating in 2001. Also in these three years, Mr. Brehm took the Paint Valley Band to compete in Toronto, Canada (1999) where both the Concert and Jazz Bands earned Superior Ratings! Also in there was a trip to Florida, but I do not know the details around that.
On the Marching Band side of the job, even though he was a graduate of OSU, Mr. Brehm continued the tradition of the OU style dance band and added some other flair. In 1998, borrowing from the OSU tradition of Script "Ohio," the Marching Bearcats did a Script "Cats" to the trio section of National Emblem March.
Though he left Paint Valley in 2001 to pursue his masters degree at Washington State University, Mr. Brehm spoke very highly of his time at Paint Valley claiming "this is where I learned to love what I do . . . even though Derek Free (PV student at the time) made it hard some days!"
Last I heard Mr. Brehm just began a new teaching assignment with the Wellpinit School District on the Spokane Indian Reservation in the state of Washington in the fall of 2017.
1996-1998 Doug Carter
1986-1996 Jim Osborne (The Osborne Era)
If you have ever met Mr. Osborne, you would not forget him. He smiles a lot, talks loud, and exudes energy. It is no wonder why, when you ask a Paint Valley native about the band, they always go back to "The Osborne Era."
Shortly after Mr. Osborne was hired, the band room that is currently in use was built (1987). As a matter of fact, the whole hallway was originally slated to be an arts wing with a second art room directly across the hall from the band room in what is now the district office.
Talking to Mr. Osborne, he says some of his best moments at PV were all the performances:
Shortly after Mr. Osborne was hired, the band room that is currently in use was built (1987). As a matter of fact, the whole hallway was originally slated to be an arts wing with a second art room directly across the hall from the band room in what is now the district office.
Talking to Mr. Osborne, he says some of his best moments at PV were all the performances:
- Performing at the Cincinnati Reds game for the Star Spangled Banner
- Performing in the Findley Market Cincinnati Reds Open Day Parade
- Performing at Disney World and Sea World , I think 1995
- Performing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland
- Playing for President Bush whistle stop during campaign of 1992
- Playing for the return of the troops from Iraq/Kuwait downtown Chillicothe 1994
- Played several years at the Ohio State Fair. Great time
After leaving Paint Valley, Mr. Osborne went on to become the principal of Unioto High School right down the way! Mr. Osborne wished nothing but the best for Paint Valley, but he proved a tough act to follow. After he retired, Paint Valley went through 7 directors in 18 years averaging a new director every 2.5 years. It would take a while for the band to build back up to what it was in the late 90's, but it will get there again!
1985-1986 Laura Bistock
1982-1985 Mark Ely
The marching and concert bands were 7th-12th Grade! They rehearsed all together on the stage, still. The uniforms on the right were brand new in 1982.
"Touch of Class", Paint Valley's first jazz band was formed in 1984.
The marching and concert bands were 7th-12th Grade! They rehearsed all together on the stage, still. The uniforms on the right were brand new in 1982.
"Touch of Class", Paint Valley's first jazz band was formed in 1984.
1980-1982 Jeff Streitenberger "Mr. Street"
1978-1980 Mark Mittchell
1976-1978 Tom Allen
Tom Allen surprised me on 4th grade instrument fitting night by being an instrument fitter for the company we were using at the time, walking up to me, and introducing himself as a previous Paint Valley Band Director!
1964-1976 George Harper (Harper's Hippies)
I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Harper a little while helping out Derek Condo, the UHS band director, at a Unioto Football Game (2015). After his time at PV, he found himself around the state but eventually landed as the Assistant Marching Band Director at Unioto HS 2005-2012. But even after his contract has expired, he is still volunteering for high school bands.
When he found out I was currently teaching at Paint Valley he just lit up and expressed how his years directing Paint Valley's Bands were the best years of his life. When I pressed him for one story he told me of a tiny girl who played the largest bass drum (much like the one in the picture below). They were marching to the field where she hit a dip! Down goes the bass drum player head over shoulders tumbling over her drum in a complete somersault landing straight back on her feet, *in step*, and still playing: all without missing a beat! I very much enjoyed meeting the man.
Edit: Other sources confirm the story and add to it that the girl was Julie Davey Adams 1976 and stood 4'11". I can only imagine the sight.
Edit 2: I'm sorry to say that George passed away the summer of 2017.
When he found out I was currently teaching at Paint Valley he just lit up and expressed how his years directing Paint Valley's Bands were the best years of his life. When I pressed him for one story he told me of a tiny girl who played the largest bass drum (much like the one in the picture below). They were marching to the field where she hit a dip! Down goes the bass drum player head over shoulders tumbling over her drum in a complete somersault landing straight back on her feet, *in step*, and still playing: all without missing a beat! I very much enjoyed meeting the man.
Edit: Other sources confirm the story and add to it that the girl was Julie Davey Adams 1976 and stood 4'11". I can only imagine the sight.
Edit 2: I'm sorry to say that George passed away the summer of 2017.
1963-1964 Forest Wever
1958-1963 John Allen
1958-1963 John Allen
I recieved a letter this week (attached) on the founding of our school fight song! As I write this, I believe I am holding in my hands one of the first drafts of our school fight song! And get this: you know how I have always said our Alma Mater does not sound like an alma mater, but more like a second fight song? Apprarently it is! In his letter, Mr. Baum says that the attached were two versions of the Paint Valley Fight Song. So cool!
In a letter, Howard Baum writes of his mother, Nancy Baum. Howeard told me his mother, Nancy, taught at Bainbridge High School, and later at both Bainbridge Elementary/Jr. High and Twin Elementary/Jr. High Schools. She retired in 1992 and moved to Columbs in 2000 after her husband died. She died just this past February (2/24/20) at age 94.
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