By Traci Chapman
Managing Editor
It’s official — Piedmont Public School District has a new director of bands.
The district Board of Education on July 21 confirmed the hiring of Clint Brown to Piedmont’s top instrumental music spot. In a field of highly qualified candidates, officials said choosing Brown was an easy one.
“Mr. Brown is one of the most respected directors of bands in the state,” said Matt Bilyeu, Director of Athletics and Activities. “He has a reputation of producing highly competitive programs, and we are excited for Mr. Brown to build upon the respected traditions of the Pride of Piedmont band program.”
Brown comes to Piedmont from Moore, where he served as band director at Moore High School for eight years.
“I thought that Piedmont looked like an excellent opportunity to me, it’s growing so fast, the reputation of the school, the administration, just the band program in general – I think I can have a chance for a new challenge to grow a new program,” Brown said earlier this week. “It was just too good to pass up – I’m excited to get going.”
During his time in Moore, Brown served as director of the Moore Outdoor Music Festival – a major competition held early during marching season that’s fielded thousands of bands over the years.
In addition, Brown served as conductor and director of concert and jazz band – in fact, he said his favorite part of music education is jazz band.
“I like them all but I really love the concert and the jazz portions – probably jazz most,” Brown said.
His love for band shows in the acclaim his program and students have received, earning the OSSAA Sweepstakes award in years COVID-19 did not derail that competition. That honor is based on achievement of both marching and concert band.
And that was just in Moore.
During his career, bands Brown directed have earned more than 20 OSSAA superior/sweepstakes and has won several OSSAA state jazz championships.
But it’s much more about the students than the students in the end, Brown said.
“What I really enjoy most is seeing the kids grow as people – as musicians, yes, but mainly as people,” he said. “Being a band director because you get to see them in 6th grade all the way through their senior year, see their development, and that’s really a great thing.”
As much as Brown is heading into a winning formula in Piedmont – Pride of Piedmont last season captured the Oklahoma Bandmaster’s Association 5A state award – he brings with him those kinds of accomplishments. The Moore Lion Marching band has won superior awards in the coveted OSSAA contest the last eight years and has been a regular finalist at Mustang and Yukon Invitationals and in OBA state competition.
His students were also selected in 2014 to march in the Chicago Thanksgiving Day parade, as well as in the Disney World Parade in 2018.
Before directing Moore bands, Brown worked for 17 years at Yukon Public Schools. While there, he worked for a director for whom the word legendary is used by others in the field – Charlie Bartrug.
“He’s just an amazing person, he was so great to work for and with and we had a great time,” Brown said. “When he retired, that’s when I took Moore.”
Brown graduated from University of Oklahoma in 1995 and taught for two years in Marlow before heading to Yukon. He said he loved the small school district but wanted to return to the Oklahoma City metropolitan area to be near family – a decision that ultimately led him to Piedmont.
“I’m stepping into a really good spot – James (Rivera) and Sarah (Workun, who both moved to Yukon Public Schools’ band program) did a great job in the program over the past six years, and we’re really primed to be successful,” he said. “I’m looking forward to building relationships with these students like I did with my kids in Moore, making music and building some good memories.”
