Lexington One Names Band Director for New River Bluff High

Kenneth D. Turner will serve as director of bands at the new River Bluff High School, which is set to open in August 2013, Lexington One announced Wednesday.

Turner, who has 20 years of experience directing bands, joins River Bluff High School as director of bands from White Knoll High School.

He began his career at W.A. Perry Middle School in 1992 as director of bands. He joined Irmo Middle School as associate director of bands and was assistant band director at Irmo High School from 1993 to 1998. Turner moved to Chapin High as director of bands in 1998, transferred to Irmo High as director of bands in 2001, moved to Kelly Mill Middle School as director of bands in 2004 and joined White Knoll High School in 2008. His bands have earned many awards and honors.

Under his direction White Knoll’s Marching Band won the South Carolina Band Directors Association’s 4A Lower-State Championship in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011; took third place in the SCBDA 4A State Championships in 2008 and 2009; won SCBDA 4A State Marching Band Championships in 2010 and 2011; placed third in the SCBDA 5A State Championships in 2012; was a finalist in the 2012 Bands of America Atlanta Super-Regional; Grand Champion at the 2012 Western Carolina University Tournament of Champions; earned superior ratings at the SCBDA State Concert Festival in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012; and received the SCBDA Outstanding Performance Award in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. 

While band director at Irmo High School, Turner’s bands took three SCBDA 5A State Marching Band Championships, won the Bands of America Johnson City Regional Championship and were finalists at the 2001 Bands of America Grand Nationals.

Turner received a Bachelor of Music in Education with a Performance Certificate and a Master of Music Education from the University of South Carolina. He is certified in instrumental music kindergarten through 12th grades.

Turner is third horn in the South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra, hornist with the Palmetto Brass Quintet and principal horn in the Palmetto Concert Band. He was the 1992 USC Concerto-Aria Winner and was honored as conductor of the South Carolina Region Band twice in 2004 and again in 2008. He has received the National Band Association’s Citation of Excellence on four occasions and has twice received the National Band Association’s Certificate of Merit for Marching Excellence.

Turner is a member of the South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra, Palmetto Brass Quintet, Palmetto Concert Band, South Carolina Band Directors Association, South Carolina Music Educators Association, Music Educators National Conference, and Phi Beta Mu Honorary Bandmasters Fraternity.

Submitted by Lexington One.