Dr. Norman E. Smith District V Band Director of the Year

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2022-2023  Dr. Norman E. Smith District V Band Director of the Year Award
 

Aaron Theall is currently the Director of Bands at DeRidder High School. Aaron is in his 11th year of teaching, all of which he has taught both the DeRidder High School and DeRidder Junior High School bands. In his free time, Aaron enjoys playing in various musical ensembles on various instruments; Aaron plays french horn in the Lake Charles Community Band, tenor horn in the Calcasieu British Brass Band, baritone saxophone in the Southwest Jazz Ensemble, and rings hand bells and plays french horn in the orchestra at First Baptist Church in DeRidder, Louisiana.

Aaron is a 2012 graduate of Louisiana State University where he received a bachelor of music education in instrumental music. In 2012, while attending LSU, he was named a Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. In 2022, he was named a Top Professional in the Marquis Who’s Who Publication as a Top Educator. He was also recognized in 2013 as a recipient for the Louisiana Music Educators Association’s Outstanding Young Music Teacher Award. He is the recipient of the 2022-2023 District V Band and Orchestra Directors Association’s Dr. Norman E Smith Band Director of the Year Award.

Aaron has served as an honor band clinician, both concert and marching band judge, and LMEA conference presenter. He served as the Vice President for the District V Band and Orchestra Directors Association from 2014-2019. In 2014, he joined the instructional staff of the Louisiana Stars Drum and Bugle Corps where he became the Assistant Corps Director for 2015-2018. He served as the Corps director from 2019-2021 and as the executive director for 2022. He is a member of District V Band and Orchestra Directors Association, Louisiana Music Educators Association, Louisiana Bandmasters Association, Louisiana Music Adjudicators Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity, Pi Kappa Lambda music honor society, and Phi Beta Mu.

This Award is given in memory of Dr. Norman E. Smith by a resolution adopted by unanimous consent on December 1, 1998. Dr. Smith was Professor Emeritus of Music at McNeese. He was not only a teacher, but also a friend to all educators and musicians. A great deal of Dr. Smith’s teaching career was spent as a band director at various levels. It is indeed a great honor to be selected as the recipient of this award.

Our association selects one member each year for special recognition of his work. The following guidelines have been established for selecting this individual.

• Contribution to the Association through performance of duties as assigned through elections, mandatory appointment, and voluntary appointments
• Level of excellence obtained in competition with his/her musical organizations
• Level of excellence obtained in instruction proficiency as a professional educator
• Accumulation of achievements in the professional and competitive realms during his/her entire period of servitude in the district.

2020-2021 Daphne Richardson

2019-2020 Betsy Stoupy 

2018-2019 Kyle Cook  

2017-2018 Amanda Riggs

2016-2017 Eva Brown

2015-2016 Reggie Rogers

2014-2015 Roland Smith

2013-2014 Huber “Mickey” Smith

2012-2013 David Landry

2011-2012 Tim McMillen

2010-2011 Kevin Coker 

2009-2010 Fred Roeder

2008-2009 Matthew Jones

2007-2008 Jay Ecker

2004-2005 Tim McMillen

2000-2001 James Hearne

1999-2000 Steve Hand