Jefferson High School Co-Band Director

Thad Driskell

Thad K. Driskell is in his sixth year as Co-Director of Bands at Thomas Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and sixteenth year teaching in the public schools of Iowa and the Chicago suburbs. His primary responsibilities at Jefferson include conducting the Wind Symphony, directing The Band of Blue Marching Band, assisting with the Ninth Grade Concert Band, and teaching private instruction of woodwind, brass, and percussion lessons.

Mr. Driskell earned a Master of Music in Music Education Degree from Northwestern University, and a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Wartburg College. He has pursued further education through private study of wind conducting at the University of Iowa under Dr. Myron Welch.

Under Mr. Driskell's direction, the Jefferson High School Wind Symphony performed at the 2004 Iowa Bandmasters Association Conference, shared a joint concert with The University of Iowa Symphony Band at Hancher Auditorium in Iowa City, and has earned consecutive division I superior ratings at the State Large Group Festival. The Jefferson High School Band of Blue has appeared in the 2004 Pan-Pacific Parade in Honolulu, Hawaii, the 2005 Citrus Parade in Orlando, Florida, and has earned consecutive division I superior ratings at the State Marching Band Festival.

Mr. Driskell is an active guest conductor and adjudicator in Iowa and the Midwest, having worked with many college and university, district, and conference honor bands. As an activist for furthering the concert band idiom through non-competitive, educational performance opportunities, Mr. Driskell has served as a clinician at the South Central Bandmasters Association Concert Band Festival, hosted the Plainfield Invitational Concert Band Festival, and initiated the creation of the Jefferson Invitational Concert Band Festival.

Mr. Driskell's professional affiliations include: National Band Association; Iowa Bandmasters Association, Concert Band Affairs state chair; Northeast Iowa Bandmasters Association, Concert Band Affairs chair and President-Elect for 2008-09; World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles; Iowa Alliance for Arts Education; Cedar Rapids City Band Commission; and has served as an advisor with the Iowa Ambassadors of Music. Thad's family includes his wife, Elizabeth, and two children, Carolyn and James.