2016 Clinic (Introduction to Mallet Instruments)
Mr. Leavell is the Director of Bands at Warren East Middle School and the Assistant Director at Warren East High School. He is also the Beginning Band Director at Bristow and Richardsville Elementary Schools.
Under his direction, the Warren East Middle School Bands have received Proficient Ratings at the KMEA Bowling Green District Concert Band Festival. Mr. Leavell has also overseen the creation of the Warren East MS Jazz Band & Warren East MS/HS Indoor Percussion Ensemble.
Mr. Leavell has won several awards & received many honors during his time at Warren East. He was named the Third District Music Educators’ Association Middle School Teacher of the Year for 2010-11. In March 2012, he received the SCGC Percussion Directors’ Award for his work with the Indoor Percussion Ensemble. In June 2012, he was named an Innovative Percussion Educator, reflecting his work in the field of percussion.
Along with these honors, Mr. Leavell currently serves as the Third District Music Educators’ Association President, a term which he began in August 2014. He also has served as the Southeastern Color Guard Circuit’s Kentucky State Representative from 2012-15.
Mr. Leavell graduated from Western Kentucky University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education in Fall of 2003 and is currently completing his Master’s Degree. While at WKU, he had the opportunity to study percussion under Dr. Christopher Norton and Dr. Mark Berry.
Mr. Leavell has worked as a percussion instructor at Todd County High School, Greenwood High School, and Warren Central High School, and has adjudicated percussion for local contests. He has also arranged indoor percussion programs for Russellville High School and Logan County High School, and is the current front ensemble manager for Magic of Mobile, a new drum corps out of Atlanta. His concert band compositions have been premiered by the Warren East High and Middle School concert bands. Mr. Leavell also gives private lessons in percussion performance to area high school and middle school students.
Mr. Leavell’s hometown is Elkton, KY and he graduated from Todd County Central High School in 1999. However, he has lived in Texas and North Carolina. When not teaching or composing, he enjoys watching TV, playing video games, and being with friends. He now resides in Bowling Green, KY.
Mr. Leavell is an Innovative Percussion Artist.