About Me

A native of Burlington, NC, Joshua K Potter is currently the first Director of Bands at Palisades High School in Charlotte, NC. Previously, Mr. Potter was the Director of Bands at Raleigh’s Wakefield High School for eleven years – beginning with its opening in 2000. He received his Bachelor of Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed a Masters in Wind Band Conducting at East Carolina University. Prior to his appointment at WHS, Mr. Potter served as the Director of Bands at West Rowan High School where he introduced full season competitive marching band and the band earned the first recorded superior rating at state band festival in the school's 50+ year history. In addition, Mr. Potter served as the Director of Bands at Charlotte Catholic High School for the 2011-2012 school year.

During his time at Wakefield, the band program grew from a mere 40 students to more than 200. The Wakefield Band program developed into a comprehensive music education program that featured three concert ensembles, two jazz bands, a percussion ensemble studio and a winter percussion ensemble, four winter guards, a chamber music program, and a music theory and AP Music Theory program. The bands consistently earned top marks at all marching and concert band festivals and competitions. The marching band performed regularly across NC and the eastern USA and was a Bands of America Regional Championship Finalist on multiple occasions and Class Champion of the Massillon, Ohio Regional. The Maroon Winter Guard was a four-time Winter Guard International World Championships finalist and was promoted to Open Class after its fourth place finish in 2008. The Silver Winter Guard was a WGI Regional Championship finalist and Atlantic Indoor Association Scholastic A class Gold Medalist. The Wind Ensemble and Concert Bands earned consistent superior ratings at state Music Performance Adjudication events. The Wakefield band program was featured twice at the NC Music Educator’s Conference-a concert performance in 2005 and a presentation and performance by the Chamber Winds in 2011.

From 2012-2022,  Mr. Potter served as the Director of Bands at Providence High School in Charlotte, NC.   During his time at Providence, Mr. Potter worked to continue the legacy of outstanding music education that has been a consistent part of the school’s 30+ year history. As part of the 25th Anniversary celebration, the Providence High School Wind Ensemble was a featured ensemble at the 2013 NC Music Educator’s Conference. In addition, the Pride of Providence Marching Band was a finalist at the 2013 Bands of America Winston-Salem Super Regional, the first band from Charlotte to earn this honor. The Wind Ensemble has shared concerts with the Carolinas Wind Orchestra and the UNC-Greensboro Wind Ensemble.  It was also selected for a performance at the 2017 Music for All Southeastern Regional Concert Festival in Atlanta, GA.  

Mr. Potter has been recognized by the NC Bandmasters as the 2007 Central District Band Director of the Year and with the 2008 Award of Excellence. He completed two different terms on the NCBA State Marching Band Committee where he served as chair for two years. 

Mr. Potter is a member of the American School Band Director’s Association, the North Carolina Music Educators Association, the NC South Central District Bandmasters Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America (Alpha Rho chapter). He is active as an adjudicator and clinician for marching and concert bands throughout North and South Carolina. He enjoys doing drill design and consultation for marching bands also.  In addition, he serves as a Winter Guard General Effect judge for the Atlantic Indoor Association and other circuits throughout the country.  He is listed as a Circuit Certified Judge with Winter Guard International.

Mr. Potter served as the chair of the NC South Central District Bandmasters Association from 2020-2022.

Mr. Potter currently resides in Matthews, North Carolina with his wife Caren, an elementary school counselor as well as a color guard instructor and adjudicator. They welcomed their daughter, Carrington, in September of 2014.