About the Bands

Any 5th grade student may sign up for band at the start of each school year.  Instruments used in the beginning band class include flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, and percussion.  

Percussion students in the beginning band class will primarily play bell kit, but they will also learn snare drum and concert bass drum.

The Intermediate Band is made of 6th grade students who have completed a year of Beginning Band.  Instruments used in the intermediate band class include the flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, trumpet, horn, trombone, baritone, tuba, and percussion.

Percussion students in the intermediate band class must have a bell kit at home for practice, but they will play the school mallet instruments for class.  Intermediate percussionists will continue studying mallet percussion, snare drum, and concert bass drum as well as accessory percussion and some timpani playing.

The Advanced Band is made up of band students in grades 7-8.  Students must complete a year in Beginning Band and a year in Intermediate Band to be admitted to this group.  Instruments used in the advanced band class include all of those in the beginning and intermediate band classes as well as the piccolo and the contra alto clarinet.

Percussionists in the Advanced Band class must have a bell kit at home for practice, but they will play the school mallet instruments for class.  Advanced percussionists continue studying every instrument in the percussion section.  It is expected that advanced percussion students will learn to tune the timpani and learn proper playing technique on accessory percussion.

The Burchfield Pep Band is a voluntary group that performs at home football and basketball games.  In the past, the pep band has traveled to playoff and championship level games.

The Jazz Band is a voluntary group that studies popular forms of music such as blues, swing, Latin, and rock.  Rehearsals are Wednesdays from 3:00-4:30 PM (Spring Semester Only).   Percussionists who join jazz band will have the opportunity to learn to play the drum set.  Students can also play electric bass or keyboard (piano) in jazz band if they are taking lessons on these instruments outside of school.

Students in 7th and 8th grade may choose to audition for regional honor bands.  A lesson outside of the school day is required to be part of this group. 

Cole Hunt holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tennessee.  Mr. Hunt has been the band director at Burchfield Elementary School in Oneida, Tennessee since 2009.  He was named building level and district level Teacher of the Year for Scott County Schools in 2016, and he was awarded tenure in 2018.  While at Burchfield, Mr. Hunt’s students have earned multiple solo and ensemble medals, chairs at the ETSBOA and TSSBDA Jr. Band clinics, and “Superior” concert festival ratings.

Mr. Hunt is a member of the National Association for Music Education, Tennessee Music Education Association, East Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association, Tennessee Secondary School Band Directors Association, American Recorder Society, and Greater Knoxville Recorder Society.  He is currently the president of TSSBDA.  Mr. Hunt is married to Brandan Hunt, and they have a daughter, Haley.