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Kevin Lunsford will have a childhood dream come true this fall after being approved by the Covington County Board of Education in July as the next band director at Florala High School.

A native of Kennesaw, Georgia, and a 2016 North Cobb High School alumnus, he first became involved with music at a young age. His interest peaked when he discovered the trumpet during his sixth-grade band class.

“Music and band have always been a love of mine, but I tell people all the time it was not until my eleventh-grade year that I was able to see myself doing this for a very long time. My high school and middle school band directors had a massive amount of influence on me. I truly cannot thank them enough for the exuberant energy and love of music they brought into their classrooms every day. They inspired a young and naive trumpet player all those years ago,” Lunsford said.

He received his bachelor’s degree from Jacksonville State University in Music Education in 2022. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi.

In addition to being the band director, this is Lunsford’s first teaching position.

“I am looking forward to getting to know the students and building a strong culture within the band program. The school and community have done a phenomenal job raising these young adults. I am excited about seeing them thrive in music, in the school, and helping guide them in their careers past high school, wherever that may take them,” he said.

Lunsford added that he was drawn to Florala because of the school’s rich band traditions.

“There have been many years of excellence in this program. The size of the band has grown tremendously over the past several years. Having this opportunity means upholding the traditions and excellence the band has had in the past while also pushing the boundaries of what this band can do. We must be open-minded enough to get out of our comfort zone and try new experiences. I am looking forward to taking the next step and pushing the boundaries of what this program is capable of.”

His goals for the program include giving his students as many opportunities as they can achieve.

“I would like to continue the excellence of the program, both on and off the field, and continue to grow the numbers of the band. I hope our band can become more active in our community through different events and outreaches. Together, we will work to compete at some of the top band competitions in the state and around the country. I also want to strongly encourage my students to get involved in All-State Band, District Honor Band, and college marching band concert honor bands. Whether they perform solo and/or ensemble, take private lessons, and audition for college music/band scholarships, we are in this together as a band family,” Lunsford said.

As he prepares to lead a marching band for the first time, Lunsford said his favorite part is getting into a “zone” mindset.

“All that matters in those moments is the music being made by the group in front of me and the connections we build together through that time. Everything will be left at the door. It’s a special thing and one I try to never take for granted,” he said.

Florala will perform a patriotic halftime show entitled “From Sea to Shining Sea” this fall. Lunsford described it as one that was inspired through conversations with his friends who are fellow band directors.

“We came up with the idea when a few of us started to discuss and realize the events happening in our nation this year such as the Olympics, 80th anniversary of D-Day, and an election year. Ironically enough, my first year in college band was a patriotic show, and now it’s my first year as a band director. It seemed like a fitting time to do a show like this, and the students seem to be completely bought into the concept,” Lunsford said.

Lunsford’s way to keep students encouraged and motivated is a simple but effective concept: treat everything like a game or challenge that is achievable.

“I’ll tell my students, usually in between repetitions or small chunks of music, to find two things total between marching and playing and make those two things better the next rep. I also tell them what was improved on the previous rep and then what to improve upon for the next one. This way, they know they are improving but always have something to strive for,” he said.

Kevin is the son of Angelia and Kerry Lunsford with an older brother, Keith Lunsford.

“I hope to form a lasting bond for the Florala Wildcat Band and every member who comes into it. Together, we will make some incredible music and memories along the way. I also look forward to working with and getting to know our faculty, staff, and administrators more in the future and building stronger relationships with them and the community,” Lunsford said.

For more information about Florala’s band program email kevin.lunsford@cov.k12.al.us.