Meet the Directors

Mr. Brent Hopper has served as the middle school band director of Lakeland Prep for the past 6 years. Under his direction, the band received consistent superior ratings at concert and jazz festivals, and has greatly grown in size, from 80 students to nearly 170 students. Most recently, Mr. Hopper was named the LPS Middle School Teacher of the Year. Under his leadership, the LPS Middle School Concert Band received the ASBDA Award of Distinction and has been part of numerous consortiums for new band works. Prior to his appointment at LPS, Mr. Hopper taught middle school band and elementary general music at Riverdale School in Germantown, TN for three years. Mr. Hopper holds a Masters of Music Education - Teaching Artistry degree from Bowling Green State University and a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from the University of Tennessee at Martin. In his spare time, Mr. Hopper enjoys songwriting and composing music for band. Mr. Hopper has had band music premiered by the Houston Middle School and Lakewood Elementary. Mr. Hopper is associated with West Tennessee Band and Orchestra Association, Tennessee Bandmasters Association, National Association for Music Education, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity. Although his primary instrument is trumpet, he also plays guitar, bass guitar, banjo, mandolin, and ukulele.  Mr. Hopper looks forward to growing a strong and dynamic and program in the years to come!

Mr. Micaiah Radcliffe is entering his fourth year as the high school band director for Lakeland Prep. Under his leadership, he LPS high school band received consistent superior ratings at concert and marching festivals. The LPS Marching Band has also been a finalist each year at the Tennessee Division 1 and Division 2 state band championships.  He also helped to start the first color guard and percussion ensemble in LPS history. In his ten years of teaching, Mr. Radcliffe has held both middle school and high school band director positions in Tennessee and Mississippi. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Tennessee at Martin. His professional affiliations include the West Tennessee Band and Orchestra Association, National Association for Music Education, Percussive Arts Society, Innovative Percussion, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking with his wife, and playing with Winry and Zildjian, the best dogs on Earth.

Mrs. Jocelyn Hembruch is our new assistant director of band at Lakeland Prep. She brings valuable teaching experience in both middle and high school levels in Desoto County, Mississippi as well as Castle, Indiana.  She is an incredible flautist who frequently performs with the Bluff City Wind Symphony and numerous ensembles. She received her Bachelor's of Music Education degree from Murray State University. 

Mrs. Rebecca hanna is an 8th grade ELA teacher in addition to her role as the Color Guard Instructor for the marching band. Mrs Hanna is also the director of the LPS Winter Guard. Under her direction the color guard has tripled in size. She was a member of her high school guard for three years. Prior to that, she marched clarinet for a year and played clarinet in concert band throughout high school. Mrs. Hanna lives in Bartlett with her husband of fourteen years, two sons who go to LPS, and four dogs.