Grant County Band Staff

David D. Owens, Director of Bands and Orchestra

Grant County High School

Email: David.Owens@grant.kyschools.us

David D. Owens joined the music faculty as Director of Bands at Grant County High School in July 2009.  Mr. Owens hails from Corbin, Kentucky and was a 1997 graduate of South Laurel High School in London, Kentucky.  Mr. Owens earned his Bachelor's of Music Education degree from the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Kentucky.  Mr. Owens also holds a Masters Degree in Educational Administration from Xavier University, and holds a Rank 1 certification.

In 2001 he was a member of the Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps from Lexington, Kentucky.  In the fall of 2002, Mr. Owens student taught at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, under the tutelage of Mr. Jeff Hood.  Previously, Mr. Owens was the Director of Bands at Beechwood High School in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky.  During his tenure there, the band received numerous awards.  They consistently rated "Distinguished" in every KMEA Concert Festival Assessment and "Superior" at the 2009 Dixie Classic National Adjudicators Invitational in St. Louis, as well as the marching band being named the Class A "State Runner-Up" in 2005, 2007, and 2008.  In 2006, the Beechwood marching band was named the KMEA Class A State Champion and BOA Class A National Champion.  In 2008, they were also named a National Semifinalist for the second time under the instruction of Mr. Owens, placing 3rd in the nation in Class A.  Mr. Owens was named "District 6 High School Teacher of the Year" for the 2005-2006 school year and again received the award in 2007-2008.  In 2006, he was awarded the University of Kentucky's College of Education "A Teacher Who Made a Difference" award and in 2007 was awarded the "Certificate of Merit for Marching Excellence" by the National Band Association.  He was also named a Kentucky Colonel by Governor Ernie Fletcher in 2005.

Since being at Grant County, the marching band has been named a Class 4A State Finalist in 2009 and 2010, finishing both years as State Runner-Up.  They have won the East Regional Championship both years as well.  In 2010 Mr. Owens was named Kentucky’s “Most Outstanding Young Band Director of the Year” by Phi Beta Mu at the 2010 KMEA Conference.  The Winterguard and Jazz programs have been revived and a new Percussion Ensemble has been formed.  The Jazz Ensemble was named a “Top High School Group” at the 2011 NKY Select Jazz Festival.

Mr. Owens is married to Grant County's Middle School Band Director, JoAnn, and is a proud father of their  3 year old son, Grant and 1 year old son, Keegan. 

Mrs. JoAnn Owens is a 1999 graduate of Grant County High School in Dry Ridge, Kentucky.  She graduated from the University of the Cumberlands, in Williamsburg, Kentucky with a Bachelors Degree in Music Education in 2004.  Mrs. Owens completed her student teaching in the fall of 2003 with Paul Laurence Dunbar, in Lexington, Kentucky.  She currently holds a Masters Degree in Administration from Xavier University, in Cincinnati, Ohio and is currently earning her Rank I certification. 

Since being at Grant County, the middle school bands have received numerous awards.  In 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 the middle school concert bands received consecutive Distinguished Ratings at KMEA Large Group Middle School Assessment.  In 2009, the Grant County Middle School Concert Band received the District 6 Northern Kentucky Band Directors Association Exemplary Band Award. 

Mrs. Owens is married David Owens, Director of Bands at Grant County High School.  She is a proud mother of their 3 year old son, Grant and 1 year old son, Keegan. 

Bio's coming soon...

Mark McCaffery - Percussion Director

A Percussion Instructor based in Florence, KY, McCafferty earned both his Bachelor and Master of Music Performance at Morehead State University.  While there, he was featured numerous times as a xylophone and marimba soloist in front of the Morehead State Percussion Ensemble, including several tours within the United States, and one overseas to Valencia, Spain.  McCafferty was the winner of the 2006 Gallaher Solo Competition, a member of the 2003 PASIC Champion Morehead State Indoor Drumline, as well as an ensemble member for that year’s PASIC clinic presentation, which featured guest artist Zoro on drumset.  Upon graduation, McCafferty returned to the northern KY area, and began building a private lesson studio.  Other teaching credits include marching percussion instruction at Campbell, Owen, Grant, Harrison, and Boone Counties.  Currently, McCafferty works with Scott High School and Grant County percussion programs, where both marching and percussion ensemble performance opportunities are explored.  While teaching, McCafferty maintains an active performance schedule, with regular performances as a member of the groups Four-Plus Brass Quintet, Sound Infusion, the Fillmore Wind Band, the Florence Baptist Mt Zion Orchestra, and the music ensemble at his church, St Paul’s of Florence.  Past performances also include musicals at St Joe’s Crescent Springs (There’s a Monster in My Closet), Bishop Brossart High School (Oklahoma!), Jenny Wiley State Park (A Chorus Line), and Campbell County High School (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, West Side Story), several ragtime marimba band concerts, including one at Newport On the Levee, as well as numerous performances on vibraphone with various jazz combos, at such events as church and county festivals, gigs at bars, coffee-houses, wedding cocktail hours, and private parties.

Jay Logan - Director of Guard Program

Sasha Hass - Guard Coordinator & Flag Tech

Nicole Younger - Rifle & Movement Coordinator

Mike Bruce - Percussion

Matt Chandler - Woodwinds