Mr. Michael Pinkston
Michael Pinkston is the Band Director at Owen County High School. Mr. Pinkston is a native of Harrodsburg, Kentucky and holds his Bachelor’s of Music Education from Morehead State University, in Morehead KY. While at MSU, Mr. Pinkston was a member of the Concert band, conducted by Susan Creasap. In his final year at MSU, Mr. Pinkston was also in the Symphony Band, conducted by Dr. Richard Miles, and performed at the KMEA State Convention in Louisville, KY in 2013. In 2010, Mr. Pinkston was a member of The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps and was awarded a silver medal at the DCI World Class Championships in Indianapolis, IN.
Before coming to OCHS, Mr. Pinkston was the Assistant Band Director at Campbell County Middle School in Alexandria, Ky. While there, Mr. Pinkston helped run the 400 member middle school band program, grades 6-8, received several distinguished ratings at the Northern Kentucky Concert Band Assessment, started a second Jazz ensemble, and was assistant director to the award winning Campbell County High School marching band.
Mr. Pinkston also is a graduate of the Marching Roundtable Judges Academy, and was mentored by Dr. Joe Allison in the adjudication of marching music ensembles. Since, Mr. Pinkston has been an active marching band contest judge in Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana, and Missouri. Mr. Pinkston also manages his marching band drill design business, MP Drill Design, which he designs marching band drill, indoor drumline staging, and winter guard staging throughout the year.
Starting in 2017, Mr. Pinkston is also Co-Executive Director of the non-profit organization, Precision Marching Arts Association, an organization dedicated to creating a WGI Winds performing ensemble.
Mr. Pinkston resides in Sparta, KY with his wife, Ashley, and his awesome baby boy, Caleb. His professional affiliations include KMEA, NAfME, the Northern Kentucky Band Directors Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity.
Mr. Brent Bowlin
Brent Bowlin is the band director at Maurice Bowling Middle School and the Co-Director of the Owen County High School Marching Band. He is a resident of Walton, KY, where he lives with his wife Jamie and their 4 year old daughter, Aria.
Before joining the Owen County School system, he was the assistant band director at both Gray Middle School and Ryle High School, in the Boone County School District.. Along with his responsibilities as a band director, he was also: head instructor for both the Gray MS and Ryle HS Percussion Ensembles, head instructor for the Ryle Marching Band drumline and front ensemble, Director of the Ryle HS Pep Band and assistant band director to the Gray Jazz Ensemble.
Mr. Bowlin attended Grant County High School, where he was a section leader of the Grant County Marching Band and a participant in the Northern Kentucky Select Band. He also received the John Phillip Sousa Band Award, for most outstanding senior band member.
After high school, he attended Morehead State University (MSU) where he received his music education degree, with an emphasis in Percussion Studies. While at MSU, he was a part of many different ensembles, taking multiple leadership roles in the MSU Marching Band, MSU Orchestra, MSU Concert Band and MSU Percussion Ensemble/Steel Pan Band.
During his time at MSU, he took part in an overseas performance in Spain with the MSU Percussion Ensemble and was also a participant in the Vic Firth “Percussion 101” web video series. An executive board member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia “National Music Service Fraternity”, he received the “Sinfonian Service Award” based on hours of work in reviving alumni activity for the Theta Pi Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
After college he became percussion instructor in Kenton County from 2011-2013, for both the Simon Kenton High School and Twenhofel Middle School bands. He taught private lessons and headed percussion ensembles for each school. He was also head instructor of the Simon Kenton Indoor Drumline.
In 2013, he became the assistant band director at Campbell County Middle School and High School. During this time he was director of the CCHS Pep Band and was assistant director to the Tri-State concert class winning, Campbell County Indoor Percussion Ensemble.
Joining the Gray MS and Ryle HS band staff in 2014, he started the first ever Gray MS percussion ensemble. Also during his time in Boone County, he had a record number of percussion students join the Northern Kentucky Select Band. Mr. Bowlin lead the Ryle High School Percussion Ensemble into 3rd place in the Tri-State Concert Percussion Class in 2015.
Mr. Bowlin is a recent graduate of the University of the Cumberlands, where he received his Master’s Degree in the Teacher Leader Program.