Staff

Scott Atchison

Director of Athletic Bands 

Director, Wildcat Marching Band

Scott-Lee Atchison is the newly appointed Assistant Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Kentucky. Prior to his appointment at the University of Kentucky Mr. Atchison served as the Associate Director of Bands at Texas A&M University - Commerce where he conducted the symphonic band and concert band and taught classes in music technology, music literature, marching band techniques in addition to being the director of athletic bands. During his time at Texas A&M University – Commerce, Mr. Atchison oversaw significant growth of the marching band, more than doubling it in size and earning an invitation to perform at Texas UIL State Championships. In 2012, Mr. Atchison was privileged to guest conduct the Texas A&M University - Commerce Wind Ensemble in performances at the CBDNA Regional Convention and Carnegie Hall.

Mr. Atchison received a Masters Degree from the University of Tennessee and his Bachelors Degree in Music Education from the University of North Texas. He recently completed his doctoral residency at the University of Washington and will soon complete the requirements for a Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting. At the University of Washington he studied instrumental conducting with Tim Salzman and trumpet with Allen Vizzutti and David Gordon. While at Washington, Mr. Atchison guest conducted the Wind Ensemble during their 2007 Japan Tour. At Tennessee, Mr. Atchison was a conducting student of Dr. Gary Sousa, Dr. David Stutzenberger, and James Fellenbaum, and has had additional conducting study with John Whitwell, Eugene Corporon, Jerry Junkin, Jack Stamp, H. Robert Reynolds, Allan McMurray, Craig Kirchhoff, Richard Floyd, Frank Battisti, Ray Cramer, and Robert Halseth. At North Texas he studied trumpet with Keith Johnson and Leonard Candelaria.

In 2007, Mr. Atchison joined the instructional staff for The Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps where he served as Brass Caption Head and in 2009 The Troopers were welcomed back into the DCI Finals after a 23-year absence. Mr. Atchison is currently the Brass Caption Head for The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps from Rosemont, Illinois and serves as an active designer and clinician with marching bands and drum corps throughout the country. Finally, Mr. Atchison is a Yamaha Performing Artist and is a contributing author for the book series A Composer's Insight: Thoughts, Analysis and Commentary on Contemporary Masterpieces for Wind Band (Volume IV) where he collaborated with Pulitzer Prize winning composer David Del Tredici on a chapter featuring his contribution to the wind band and American music.

Wildcat Marching Band Graduate Staff

Kenneth Iyescas

UK Bands Graduate Assistant

Kenneth Javier Iyescas was born in Managua, Nicaragua, and immigrated to the United States at the age of two years old to Jersey City, New Jersey, where he lived until his early teens. He began his musical studies at the age of nine playing the trumpet following in his father’s foot steps, who was an accomplished trumpeter in their native country. Music was always present in the home, be it in the form of Spanish dance music or native folk songs sung and accompanied by his father’s guitar, which was an enormous influence. Shortly after moving to Red Oak, Texas, Mr. Iyescas began playing the French horn.

After graduating from Red Oak High School, he was accepted to Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas. While at Howard Payne University, Mr. Iyescas received many awards for his French Horn playing, was the Student Conductor for the Symphonic Band and studied conducting and French Horn with Dr. Robert Tucker. He also was a member of the National Wind Symphony that performed in Carnegie Hall under the direction of Maestro H. Robert Reynolds. Upon completion of his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Howard Payne University, Mr. Iyescas was accepted into the Master’s degree program at Texas Tech University, where he graduated with a Master’s of Music degree in Horn Performance studying with Anthony Brittin. While at Texas Tech University, he performed with all of the top ensembles, including the Texas Tech Wind Ensemble and the Texas Tech Symphony Orchestra, as well as many of the professional orchestras in the area, including New Mexico.

Most recently, Mr. Iyescas has served as the Music Director and Conductor of the Fort Worth Symphonic Band, as well as an Assistant Director for the Crowley High School Mighty Eagle Band for 10 years in the Crowley Independent School District.

Donald Goodwin

UK Bands Graduate Assistant

Don Goodwin is a recent graduate of Eastern Washington University, where he received his Master of Arts in Composition (2007). Before returning to Eastern to pursue his degree in 2005, Goodwin lived and worked in Seattle for eight years, where he taught music theory at The Art Institute of Seattle, and performed with several touring groups around the country. His band, BeeCraft, recorded several albums, and was featured at many of the Northwest's premiere venues and festivals. Most recently, Goodwin can be heard as a keyboardist and as a composer featured on four separate Flowmotion albums. With Flowmotion, Don played, among many other venues, Bumbershoot in Seattle, and shared the stage with many influential recording artists such as Widespread Panic, G-Love and Special Sauce, Bill Frisell, and Critters Buggin'.

Currently Godwin teaches music theory, counterpoint, composition, jazz small groups, and jazz piano. In addition, he serves as Jazz Band Director at Lewis and Clark High School, and is an adjunct professor at Gonzaga University, where he teaches advanced jazz piano.

In the professional community Don is a sought-after pianist, composer, and clinician. He leads his own jazz trio (The Don Goodwin Trio), as well as several funk/jazz/rock small groups, including Freefire, Jungle Circus, and WE B-3. In addition, Don is the pianist for The Bob Curnow Big Band, and plays in several area groups as a sideman.

As a composer, Don is constantly working on many commissions. His piece, "Parallels" was performed in October of 2007 by the Spokane Symphony Orchestra at their Symphony On The Edge concert series, under the direction of Morihiko Nakahara.

Jim Kershner of The Spokesman Review had this to say about Goodwin's piece:

"The entire evening would have been worth it merely for the world premiere of "Parallels," a jazzy, flashy juggernaut by Spokane composer, conductor and jazz pianist Don Goodwin. This piece, which closed the concert, was rich with bright washes of sound and flashes of brilliant complexity. Complexity was in plentiful supply at this concert, but Goodwin's piece managed to conjure up an entire jaunty world, like the soundtrack to a particularly wonderful movie cartoon."

Don has had several of his original big band charts published by Walrus Music Publishing.

Wildcat Marching Band Instructional Staff

Mark Casey

Percussion Program Coordinator

Mark Casey has received international recognition as a performer, teacher, composer, and adjudicator within the percussion activity. He has worked with the likes of the World Champion Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, the World Champion Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps, the Yamato Drum and Bugle Corps, the University of Kentucky, the University of Miami (FL), the University of Nevada Las Vegas, the Miami of Ohio University, the McGavock High School Marching Band, and the Lafayette High School Marching Band. Mark has judged for Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Indiana state-sanctioned shows and has also been a judge for SCGC, WGI, and PAS.

Annie Hughes

Color Guard Instructor

Annie Hughes is a graduate of The University of Kentucky, a recipient of a Bachelors Degree in Political Science, and a proud alumnus of The Wildcat Marching Band.

During her time at UK, Annie was a sister in Sigma Alpha Iota, a member of the UK College Democrats, a Chair-Member for DanceBlue, and worked in UK International Affairs, as well as Digital Coordinator for Obama for America - Kentucky. She currently works for the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet - District 9 for the state of Kentucky.

Annie has spun flag and rifle for over 9 years, and is excited to be in her second year as coach for the University of Kentucky Color Guard.

Tara Dauer

Sweetheart Majorettes and Feature Twirler Instructor

Tara Dauer, a recent graduate from the University of Kentucky, graduated Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology-Exercise Science, and is continuing her time with the UK Wildcat Marching Band after twirling as a Sweetheart Majorette and Jewel of the Bluegrass Feature Twirler for 4 years as an undergraduate student. With over 15 years of competition twirling under her belt, she has won numerous local, regional, and national championship titles as an elite twirler. Originally from Saline, Michigan, Tara hopes to pursue a graduate level degree to become a Physician Assistant. She is proud to be an alumni Honor bandsman member of the WMB, as well as an alumnus of Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary music sorority. This will be her first year as the University of Kentucky Twirling program coordinator.

Wildcat Marching Band Support Staff

Vicki Pendleton

A bio for Vicki Pendleton will be coming soon!

 

 

 

Michael Friedman

Voice of the Wildcat Marching Band

The voice of the WMB since 2008, Michael Friedman is a professional actor and writer who now makes his career in television and industrial films. He’s written documentaries for A&E’s Biography and for PBS, and has appeared nationally in commercials, television, and film. With wife Margo Buchanan, he wrote the historical dramas Daniel Boone, the Man and the Legend and Freedom Trail. He was Artistic Director of Paragon Music Theatre, Kentucky’s premiere musical theatre company, and with composer Ryan Shirar created the musical version of Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor. Before coming to Lexington, where he and Margo live with children Nathan, Noah, and Emma, he served on the faculties of Elmhurst College and the University of Wisconsin.
 

Alex Lovan

Publicist

Alex is a recent graduate of the University of Kentucky in May of 2012 with degrees in Art Studio and Marketing and has been involved with the Wildcat Marching Band since 2008. Serving as the publicist since 2010, she manages all publicity aspects of the WMB and also creates many recruitment and marketing materials for UK Bands. During her time at Kentucky, Alex was involved in not only the band, but also served as the design editor of the Kentucky Kernel, editor of the Kentuckian Yearbook, a brother of Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity, and also a brother of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Service Fraternity.

Originally from Jeffersonville, IN, she has returned to live and work as a designer in the Louisville area and makes frequent trips to Lexington.