Steve Sanders

Steve Sanders is a 1995 Wando High School graduate under Basil Kerr (currently the Director of Bands at Charleston County School of the Arts) and a 2000 Honor graduate of South Carolina State University where he was a member of the Marching “101,” Symphonic, Pep, and Jazz Bands and studied trombone under Tim Hinton, Thomas Burg, and Dr. Gretchen Bowles. He also practiced music scoring and arranging under Ronald Sarjeant and arranged for Charleston Southern University under the late Sidney Heaton. He became a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, professional music fraternity, where he served as the Chapter secretary, and vice president. In his professional clinical experiences, Mr. Sanders had the opportunity to prepare Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School's band to play for the then Republican Candidate George W. Bush.

Mr. Sanders has taught Beginning Band, Advanced to High School Band, General Music, Chorus Music Appreciation,  and AP Music Theory as a band director. He is actively serving band programs as a brass instructor, marching fundamentals technician, and clinician to numerous schools bands the South. He is currently pursing a Masters Degree in Music Education.

Mr. Sanders has arranged music for multiple special ensembles, middle school, high school and college bands throughout the nation. Bands under his direction have been consistent in earning "Superior" and "Excellent" ratings at Concert and Marching band competitions throughout the state of South Carolina. His students have earned spots in All County, Region, and State bands, and earned scholarship money at various colleges including Benedict College, South Carolina State University, College of Charleston, Charleston Southern University,  The University of South Carolina, Coastal Carolina University, and other colleges throughout the South.

Mr. Sanders served as the band director of the Military Magnet Academy for four years. During that time, the program consistently kept about 20% of it's student population in the program. The band participated in sporting events, parades, pep rallies, concerts, and other community events around their area playing for famous figures such as John Edwards and Rev. Jesse Jackson. The band was featured on local and national television on various occasions. During Mr. Sanders tenure, the music program has flourished with, a beginning band, concert band, and regimental band. In addition to these fine bands, Mr. Sanders created High School Heroes of Halftime marching band, a percussion ensemble, and the Silver Essence dance line. All of these bands earned no less than excellent ratings in all SCBDA marching and concert band events.

Mr. Sanders is currently the band director of Fairfield Middle School. Where he continues to maintain at least 10% of the student population in the band program. He also is the associate director of bands at Fairfield Central High School where he serves as the field director, assistant arranger, and announcer for the Award Winning Golden Griffin Marching Band.

Mr. Sanders is the founder and director of Blessings Through Praise, a Contemporary Gospel choir comprised of 15 young men and women that has traveled all over the east coast, and plays trombone and keyboards in local churches and organizations around the state. He also served as the conductor and arranger of the Palmetto Conference Young People’s Division Band of the African Methodist Episcopal Church which performed in various places in South Carolina and the 2000 edition Palmetto Boys’ State band in which they received their first ever spirit award.

Outside of music, Mr. Sanders is a member of the Lay organization, is active in church, has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and designs newsletters and websites for organizations in his area. He is married with two beautiful daughters.

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Last Updated on Monday, November 17, 2008 02:36 PM