Jennifer Isenhour

Band Director

As a North Carolina Teaching Fellow, Mrs. Isenhour finished her Bachelor of Music in Music Education at Appalachian State University in 2004. While establishing the band program at Marvin Ridge Middle School, Mrs. Isenhour earned her Master of Music degree in Wind Conducting with Dr. Bill Malambri at Winthrop University. From 2012-2017, she served as assistant band director at Bryant Middle School in Bryant, Arkansas, where the program encompassed more than 500 students–over 40% of the student body.

Mrs. Isenhour started as band director at Gold Hill Middle School in the 2019-2020 school year and is proud to be part of the Bulldog family. During her time at Gold Hill, the band program has more than doubled in size, adding two assistant directors and received Superior ratings at SCBDA Concert Performance Assessment in Grade III and IV. Gold Hill students have consistently earned placement into the local, regional and state honor bands and have performed in the Carowinds, Disney, and Universal Studios Music Festivals. In addition to the concert bands, Mrs. Isenhour also directs the Gold Hill Jazz Band and Pep Band. Active as a clinician and adjudicator in the southeast, Mrs. Isenhour maintains a private lessons studio, as well as playing bassoon in the Catawba River Winds and the Palmetto Concert Band.

Mrs. Isenhour is a member of the South Carolina Band Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, and Women Band Directors International. She leads contemporary worship and sings in the sanctuary choir at St. John's Methodist Church and resides in Fort Mill with her husband, Justin, and two boys, Owen and William.

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Dylan Sims

Band Director

Dylan Sims joined the Gold Hill Band program in the 2023 school year. Prior to this, he served as the Director of Bands at York Middle School in York, SC where he oversaw the 7th and 8th grade concert bands, the 7th and 8th grade jazz bands, percussion ensemble, and chamber winds. Mr. Sims previously served as Associate Director of Bands at Cuthbertson High School in Waxhaw, NC and Associate Director of Bands in Spartanburg School District 4, Woodruff, SC.

Mr. Sims, originally from Cassatt, SC, obtained his undergraduate degree at Limestone College (now University) and his graduate degree from Anderson University, and an additional graduate degree from Western Governors University. As a performer, Mr. Sims has performed throughout the Southeast, including South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida, as well as internationally in London, England.

Ensembles under Mr. Sims have received numerous accolades with notable performances at the USC Band Clinic in Columbia, SC, twice at the North Carolina Music Educator Association's Conference in Winston Salem, NC, Festival Disney in Orlando, FL, the Music for All Percussion Festival and Chamber Festival in Indianapolis, IN, the President's Cup in Washington D.C., the Music for All Southeastern Concert Regional in Atlanta, GA, and WGI World Finals in Dayton, OH. These ensembles have been successful in achieving state championships, circuit championships, superior ratings, and region and all-state performers.

Recently, Mr. Sims was named a 2022 Grammy Music Educator of the Year Quarterfinalist, a First Bank "Out of this World Educator," School Band and Orchestra Magazine's "50 Directors Who Make a Difference," and a 2023 Yamaha "40 under 40" Educator. He has obtained, on three occasions, the National Band Association “Citation of Excellence”. He also serves as an education consultant with Vic Firth, Inc. He serves on the administrative staff of Civitas Independent, a perennial WGI PIO Finalist and 2022 Silver Medalist, and as a board member of the Carolina Arts Collective.

Mr. Sims also holds memberships in the National Association for Music Education, South Carolina Music Educators Association, South Carolina Band Director's Association, and the National Band Association.

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Zane Franco-Winn

Band Director

Zane Franco-Winn, a Western New York native, moved to Rock Hill, South Carolina this year! Mr. Zane Franco-Winn received his Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from the State University of New York at Fredonia. While at SUNY Fredonia, Mr. Franco-Winn was awarded principal clarinetist in multiple ensembles and studied the instrument under Dr. Andrew Seigel.

Mr. Franco-Winn began his professional career teaching in Alaska at a K-12 School on the island of Sand Point. He then relocated to Atlanta, Georgia to pursue a Master of Music in Music Education from Georgia State University. He was a graduate assistant for the Johnny Mercer Foundation in which he created a music curriculum using archival materials. While at Georgia State University, Mr. Franco-Winn performed with the Symphonic Wind Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Robert Ambrose and received an award for guiding the ensemble through rehearsals and a performance of an unaccompanied piece.

Following his time in Atlanta, Mr. Franco-Winn moved to Charleston, South Carolina, where he started brand new beginning band programs at the Montessori Schools of Charleston County School District. He also joined Laing Middle School and Camp Road Middle School as the Assistant Director of Bands. Mr. Franco-Winn’s ensembles earned superior ratings at the State Concert Performance Assessment and other local festivals. Mr. Franco-Winn also assisted Mr. Adam Vernon-Young and the Laing Middle School Symphonic Band at their South Carolina Music Educators Association Conference performance.

Zane stays very active in the performing arts community as well. He is on the instructional and design team for Étude Winter Guard, Tampa Independent Winter Guard, The Wando High School Marching Band and Color Guard, the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps, and several other programs.

Mr. Franco-Winn’s professional affiliations include the National Association for Music Education, the South Carolina Music Education Association, and serves as the Advisory Council Chair for the Carolina Winter Ensemble Association Board of Directors.

Zane is beyond excited to join Mrs. Isenhour, Mr. Sims, and Gold Hill Middle School!

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Brian Turner

Percussion Director

Brian Turner boasts a distinguished and diverse career in percussion education and leadership. He is the Director of Percussion at Fort Mill High School and Gold Hill Middle School in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Beyond his educational duties, Brian is the CEO and Founder of Civitas Independent, based in Rock Hill, SC. His influence within the percussion community is further evidenced by his membership on the Winter Guard International Percussion Advisory Board and his position as Chair of the Carolina Winter Ensemble Percussion Advisory Board.

Brian's tenure with Carolina Crown, a renowned drum corps, spanned from 1991 to 1993, a period during which the corps achieved notable success, including winning the Division 2 (Open Class) World Championships and High Drums in 1993. Over the past 27 years, Brian has devoted himself to enhancing high school percussion programs across South Carolina and North Carolina, contributing as an instructor, designer, and composer. Among the numerous programs he has impacted are Aiken High School, Silver Bluff High School, North Augusta High School, White Knoll High School, and South Pointe High School.

Professionally, Brian has held various roles with the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps and has continued to contribute to Carolina Crown in several capacities, including Director of Operations and Tour Director from 1999 to 2008. His endorsements from industry leaders such as Vic Firth, Zildjian, Remo, and Pearl/Adams Percussion underscore his prominence in the field.

Outside of his professional achievements, Brian is an avid shag dancer and has competed at the professional level. He resides in Rock Hill with his wife, Anne, her daughter, Emily, and their pets, a dog named Rudi, and a cat named Riffiki.

Ren Patel

Fort Mill High School, Director of Bands

Ren Patel learned his earliest lessons in arranging as Bob Cotter’s student in the Gaffney HS Band. He was the principal bassoonist in the Winthrop University Wind Symphony and played tuba in the pep band and tuba choir. He completed his student teaching at Fort Mill HS in 2011 while earning his B.M.E. at Winthrop. After serving as a band director in Cherokee and Greenville counties, he returned to Fort Mill HS in the summer of 2014.

Mr. Patel is a composer, arranger, performer, and clinician. He is a member of NAFME, SCBDA, and the Society of Music Theory. In 2017 he became the principal music arranger for the FMHS marching band. Mr. Patel works regularly with the Gold Hill Middle School 8th Grade Band, assisting with both full band rehearsals and sectional instruction.

For more information about the Fort Mill High School Band program visit:

www.fortmillband.com

Sean Carney

Fort Mill High School, Associate Director of Bands

A native of Winter Haven, Florida, Mr. Carney earned his B.M.E. at Troy State University in Alabama. He taught in the public schools of Alabama for ten years before moving to USC-Columbia, where he earned his Master’s of Music Education and served as a Graduate Assistant with the Carolina Bands. He was the Assistant Director of Bands at Fort Mill HS from 1998-2005, then served as Director of Bands at Gold Hill MS from 2005-19.

Mr. Carney works regularly with the Gold Hill Middle School 8th Grade Band, assisting with both full band rehearsals and sectional instruction.

For more information about the Fort Mill High School Band program visit: