Chris King, Assistant Director of Bands

Mr. King, a native of Aberdeen, Mississippi, is a 1989 graduate of Aberdeen High School. After attending Itawamba Community College, he went on to earn his Bachelor's in Music Education in 1995 from the University of Mississippi. From there, King pursued further education at Auburn University where he was a graduate student in the Jazz Department. While there, he worked with the Auburn Tiger Marching Band, as well as the Auburn Knights Jazz Orchestra, a student led 21 piece big band that has been in existence since 1930. In 1997 King graduated with honors from Auburn University with a Master's of Education in Music. Mr. King began his teaching career in the fall of 1997 at Vanderbilt University where he served as Assistant Band Director and Director of Jazz Studies. He directed the Commodore Marching Band and the Vanderbilt Jazz Ensemble, as well as the Wind Ensemble. Feeling an urge to teach in the public schools of Mississippi, Mr. King took a position at Vicksburg High School as Assistant Band Director in the fall of 1998. As Assistant Band Director, King began the 3rd concert band at Vicksburg High, and took over the jazz band. Under King's direction, the jazz band played numerous

times each year for many different civic organizations and public functions. In 2005, King became Director of Bands at Vicksburg High School. During his tenure at Vicksburg, Mr. King conducted the Varsity 3rd band, the Concert 2nd band, and the Symphonic band. He received superior ratings with all the ensembles he conducted. In 2007, Mr. King accepted the Assistant Band Director position at Alcorn Central High School, in Corinth, Mississippi, where he assisted with all areas of band, including teaching the indoor drum line and indoor color guard, which took 2nd place overall that year. In 2008 Mr. King moved to Quitman, Mississippi to be Assistant Band Director at Quitman High School. He wrote numerous arrangements for the marching band, as well as being in charge of the battery marching percussion. In the fall of 2010, King took the helm of Quitman High School Bands as its leader. He served there, receiving Superior ratings with all ensembles he conducted, until the fall of 2012, when he joined the staff at East Mississippi Community College as the Assistant Director of Bands. He shoulders instructional duties for Music Appreciation, as well as teaching private studio students. He conducts the EMCC Jazz Band and also fronts the Basketball Pep Band, “The Pride.”

In 2003, Mr. King received the A.E. McLain Outstanding Young Band Director's Award. He has served twice as President of the Capital District Band Director's Association. Mr. King was named Star Teacher for Quitman High School in 2010.

Mr. King and his wife, Christy, have been married for 10 years and reside in Quitman. Mrs. King is an educator as well, having taught 5 years in 2nd grade, 2 years in Junior High and High School band, and 2 years in 4th grade Science and Math. Although she no longer teaches in the traditional classroom, Christy continues to share her love for youth and education as she is now the Extension 4-H Agent and County Extension Coordinator in Clarke County. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Agriculture and Extension at Mississippi State University. The couple was blessed to welcome their first child, Jackson Berry King, on June 4th, 2012.