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Michael Palmer is a 2000 graduate of East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN with a Bachelor of Music. While attending ETSU on an Academic Performance Scholarship, he was an active performer in numerous ensembles, including marching band, wind ensemble, jazz ensemble, basketball showband, concert band, brass quintet, trombone choir, chamber choir, men’s ensemble, opera workshop, and the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra. Performances of note include a 2000 concert tour of Australia, a 1998 performance for the Collegiate Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Regional Convention in Jacksonville, FL. and a 1999 performance at the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National Convention in Chicago, IL. In 2000, he was one of four students in the music department selected to perform as a soloist on ETSU's biennial Departmental Honors Recital.
Mr. Palmer is currently in his 25th year of teaching, previously teaching at Littlefield Middle in Lumberton, NC (2002-2007) and Charles B. Aycock High School in Pikeville, NC (2007-2020) before coming to South Brunswick High School in 2020. At CBA, he led the program to 5 of the school's 8 total NCMEA Superior ratings at that time, received numerous marching band invitations and awards in various classes, performed in numerous festivals and special events, and had multiple students selected for all-county, all-district, all-region jazz, and multiple university honor bands. Since coming to South Brunswick in 2020, the marching band has performed at the 2024 Pop Tarts Bowl in Orlando, Florida, garnered multiple class wins, and performed at the band's first ever Bands of America Regional Competitions. Since 2022, the SBHS Bands also have 5 superior ratings with the concert band, a successful start-up for the "South Coast Jazz Ensemble" including 4 superior ratings for the jazz ensemble, superior ratings and class wins for the concert and jazz ensembles at Music in the Parks hosted in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and multiple students selected for honors ensembles, including university honor bands, all-district, all-region jazz, NC Governor's School, the NC all-state band, and the NC all-state jazz band. The jazz ensemble also premiered "Set The Standard" by Mike Tomaro in 2025 as part of a commission project financed by area grants and private donors and has performed on the deck of the USS North Carolina. Prior to his full-time teaching responsibilities, he also worked as marching band staff with numerous band programs in Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina of various sizes. He has experience and is available as both an honor band clinician and festival adjudicator, with prior judging experience locally, on the NCBA marching circuit, and nationally on the USBands marching circuit.
Mr. Palmer was featured in an "Accolade" article in the 2011 "Progress Edition" of the Goldsboro News Argus, a feature article in the Wayne-Wilson News Leader and has been quoted in the March 2011, August 2012, and August 2013 editions of School Band and Orchestra Magazine while also authoring an article published in the Winter 2026 NCMEA Journal. Mr. Palmer proudly holds "Life Loyal" membership in Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the nation’s largest, oldest, and most prestigious music fraternity. As a collegiate member of the Lambda Sigma Chapter, he served in numerous offices at the chapter, provincial, and national levels. His professional memberships have included the National Band Association (NBA), National Association for Music Educators (NAFME), North Carolina Music Educators Association (NCMEA), and the Eastern and Southeastern Districts (SEDBA) of the North Carolina Bandmasters Association (NCBA). He served on the NCMEA state board as district president for District 2 from 2023-2025 and is currently serving as the SEDBA's high school representative on the NCBA Honors Band Committee.
In addition to his loves of music and teaching, Mr. Palmer is a shameless Tennessean who enjoys traveling, some sports (particularly football- GO VOLS), varied performing arts, and other activities with his wife, Tara, and their cat- Shelley. He resides in Brunswick County and enjoys remaining active as a performer, most specifically as the rehearsal site host of the Brunswick Winds.
Drill Writer/Visual Head: Cj Nguyen
Drill Writer/Visual Head: Cj Nguyen
CJ is a native of North Carolina and has been working with high school bands across the state for over 18 years providing marching instruction, visual design, and drill writing. Through CJ Visual Designs, he has designed shows for schools in Wake, Orange, Alamance, Surry, and Brunswick County being fully involved in the design process including show concepts, musical selections, and prop design and staging.
As a designer, CJ focuses on ensuring that all members of the program have the opportunity to be challenged and grow while performing at their highest level. Outside of writing drill, CJ is an HR professional and enjoys spending time with his family, keeping up with the latest Disney news, and enjoying the beach.
Color guard: Brenley Hoagland
Color guard: Brenley Hoagland
Brenley Hoagland is an alumnus of South Brunswick HS (c/o 2024) who served as guard captain for 2 years and was a 2 year recipient of the National School Color Guard Award for South Brunswick. She also has additional color guard experience performing with Music City Drum and Bugle Corps in 2023. Her favorite pieces of equipment are flag and sabre.
Battery: Ethan McNeilL
Battery: Ethan McNeilL
Mr. McNeill is a 2021 graduate of South Brunswick High School and a 2025 graduate of East Carolina University. While a student at South Brunswick, he was selected for the all-district and all-state bands. He has extensive percussion experience w/ indoor groups such as Eclipse Percussion and also marched snare for Music City Drum and Bugle Corps and Carolina Crown Drum & Bugle Corps, where he was a bronze medalist in 2023.
FRONT Ensemble: Jamie Pierce
FRONT Ensemble: Jamie Pierce
Originally from Maple Hill, NC and now residing in Wilmington, NC, Jamie Pierce graduated from East Carolina University w/ a background in music education. She has previously worked w/ students in Havelock, New Bern, and Jacksonville (NC) High Schools. She is excited to join the program this summer and fall as a Front Ensemble Technician and looks forward to making great music w/ the students at South Brunswick!
Brass & Visual Assistant: Kiernan Baker
Brass & Visual Assistant: Kiernan Baker
Kiernan Baker is currently the South Brunswick Middle School Chorus teacher. Mr. Baker just finished his first year in the position this spring and is excited for year two of growing the program! He just moved to Brunswick County after growing up in southeast Nebraska- receiving his high school diploma from Seward High School in Seward, NE, and his Bachelor’s degree in K-12 Vocal/Instrumental Music Education from Wayne State College, in Wayne, NE.
After graduating college, Mr. Baker was a substitute teacher for the 2023-2024 school year, and accepted the choir position at Davis Middle School for the 2024-2025 school year. During the fall of 2024, Mr. Baker was a brass technician for Bellevue East High School in Bellevue, NE, and for Elkhorn North High School, in Elkhorn, NE.
His love for music came from the discovery of Drum Corps (DCI) during his freshman year of high school, leading him to march 4 summers of DCI with The Colts DBC out of Dubuque, IA. Mr. Baker holds those memories deep in his heart and loves sharing lessons and ideas he learned from his experience with his students.
Mr. Baker is also an avid golfer and loves spending time at the golf course. He also has a love for sports and coaches the South Brunswick Middle School Girls Basketball team and was an assistant coach for the South Brunswick Middle School golf team. Mr. Baker is very excited for the opportunity of working with the Pride of the South Coast this upcoming summer and fall!
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