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7901 Bailey Cove Road
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Grissom Band Directors PageDirector of Bands
In 1994 Connell directed a composite band from North Alabama on a ten-day tour of England and France commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Allied Expeditionary Forces’ Invasion of Normandy during World War II. The Band played concerts in London and South Hampton, England, plus Cherbourg and Paris, France. Connell has been an adjudicator in concert and marching throughout the southeast and along the Atlantic Seaboard. He also has been a guest clinician in the Southeast. He is a member of several professional organizations, including: MENC, NBA, PBM, ASBDA, and the national, state and local educational associations. Before coming to Huntsville, Connell was Director of Bands at Spring Valley High School in Columbia, South Carolina. His Concert and Marching Bands were frequently invited to perform for several state, regional and national conferences. They too consistently received superior ratings on concert, marching and jazz. Mr. Connell received his Bachelors and Masters Degrees from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where he was Drum Major for two years. After finishing college, Mr. Connell taught at Holston High School in Knoxville for four years. During that time the Holston Band consistently received superior ratings in Concert, Marching and Jazz competition.
Associate Director Of Bands
While in college Vernon was hired by Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, to perform with the All-American College Marching Band (1983) and also as the Assistant Director for the first ever All-American College Orchestra at EPCOT Center (1984). Mr. Vernon was appointed Associate Director of Bands at Grissom High School in August 1985. In December of that same year, Vernon co-conducted Grissom's Symphonic Band I at the Mid-West International Band and Orchestra Clinic at the age of 23. Presently, Vernon works with the marching band, conducts the Symphonic Band II and directs the two Jazz Bands. Under his direction the Symphonic Band II has never received less than an overall superior rating in any adjudication. In 1994, the Symphonic Band II was selected by audition as one of fifteen bands to perform at the 3rd Annual Bands of America National Concert Band Festival in Chicago, Illinois. Grissom was the first high school to have 2 bands invited to perform at this prestigious festival. For 12 straight years, Vernon conducted the pit orchestras for Grissom's annual musical productions. He performs with the Huntsville Symphony and numerous Broadway Theater League touring productions. He is currently a member of the newly formed jazz group, “The Huntsville Jazz Orchestra”. Under Vernon’s direction, the Jazz Bands have gained notoriety throughout the southeastern United States as well as abroad. In 1987, Vernon and 4 Grissom students toured Europe for 7 weeks with the Georgia State University Jazz Band performing at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague, Holland and the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. Other performances included festivals in Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and Amsterdam. The Jazz Bands represented the state of Alabama for a two-week Austrian tour celebrating Austria's millennium in June 1996, performing in Vienna, Graz, Salzburg, and Innsbruck. In 1999, the “A” Jazz Band was selected as one of 20 bands to compete in the prestigious "Essentially Ellington Jazz Band Festival and Competition" held at Lincoln Center in New York. In 2000, the "A" Jazz Band was selected by Congressman Bud Cramer to represent Alabama in a performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. In 2002 the “A” Jazz Band was selected as one of four U.S. high school jazz bands to perform at The International North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague, Holland. Mr. Vernon is a member of many state and national organizations including: ABA, MENC, NEA, NBA, Phi Mu Alpha, IAJE and the Alabama chapter of Phi Beta Mu; the national band directors fraternity. Vernon has served as a District Chairman and IAJE president for the state of Alabama.
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William J. Connell was named Director of Bands at Grissom High
School in July 1986. Along with directing the marching band, he conducts the Symphonic
Band I and the Concert Band. The Symphonic I and Marching Bands have never received
less than a Superior rating and have consistently won or placed in State, Regional
and National Competitions. The Concert Bands I and II have never received less than
Superior ratings in District, and Superior or Excellent rating in State and National
Competitions. The Grissom Bands under Connell have been on the cutting edge of innovation
and performance techniques both in concert and marching idioms.
Theo Vernon attended The University of Alabama 1980-1985, receiving
a BM degree in saxophone performance and a BS degree in music education. He received
his Masters of Music Education degree in 1991 from VanderCook College of Music in
Chicago, Illinois. In 2003, he became the FIRST Band Director in
the state of Alabama to receive National Board Certification from the National Board
for Professional Teaching Standards.
