STAFF

Helping Students Grow

Our incredible team is truly the heart of Echo Trail Middle School Band. It’s their dedication, passion and talent that keeps students invested in the learning process. Take a look below to learn more about the team.

JOE STIVERS

Director of Bands

Joseph Stivers was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky and is a proud product of Jefferson County Public School (JCPS), graduating from Louisville Male High School. Stivers completed his undergraduate studies at Morehead State University, receiving his Bachelor of Music Education (BME) in 2007. His graduate studies were conducted at the University of Louisville, receiving a Masters of Teacher Leadership in Middle School Education and Rank I at Morehead State University in Technology Education.

Stivers first four years of teaching were at Frederick Law Olmsted Academy North, which is the only all-boys middle school in JCPS. In his short time as the director of bands, the program grew from 85 members to 120. The band went from receiving Apprentice to Distinguished ratings at the Kentucky Music Educators Association (KMEA) Music Festival events. Stivers transferred to Crosby in the fall of 2012. During those 11 years at Crosby, the “Tradition of Excellence” continued as students earned consistent Distinguished ratings at KMEA events. Numerous students are selected for the JCPS All-County Music Festival, Morehead State University Tri-State Honor Band Clinic, Louisville Youth Orchestra, University of Louisville Wind Band Institute, KBO All-State Band, and more.

Stivers was selected as the 2010 KMEA District-12 Middle School Music Teacher of the Year and in 2016 was a nominee for Kentucky Middle School Teacher of the Year. The Crosby Band marched in the 2013 and 2018 Light Up Louisville Parade and was coined as “The Mayor’s Band” by Mayor Greg Fischer. In 2014 and 2018, Crosby Band placed first overall at the Music in the Parks Music Festival in Gatlinburg, Tennessee (2014) and Atlanta, Georgia (2018). Stivers served as the KMEA District-12 High School Band Chair and was also the guest conductor of the 2017 JCPS All-County Band. Awarded to only one band director in the state, Stivers was honored to receive the 2016 Phi Beta Mu “Outstanding Young Band Director Award”. In 2017, Crosby Band was invited to perform at the 2nd Annual Phi Beta Mu Concert Festival for the state of Kentucky as well as perform the National Anthem at the Louisville City FC Opening Games in 2017 and 2022. In 2019, Stivers received the Hilliard Lyons Excellence Award for Middle School Teacher and was named a Marquis Who’s Who Educator. In 2020, Crosby Band was honored to perform at the KMEA Professional Development Conference. The last time Crosby performed at this prestigious conference was in 1977. Stivers receive the 2020 Brianly Online Educator of the Year Award during COVID-19 Non-Traditional Instructional Days and the 2021 LG&E ExCel Award for Middle School Teacher of the Year. Stivers currently serves as the Kentucky Music Educators Associaion President-Elect for District-12 in Louisville, Kentucky. Joseph is happily married to his wife Lindsay. They are proud parents of Harrison and Graham. Together, they enjoy spending time traveling, being with family, going to concerts, and serving people in their community.

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SECTIONAL COACHES

TONY WATSON

Flute

Tony Watson has more than forty years studio flute teaching experience. His students have earned top honors, winning concerto competitions and seats in youth orchestras, All-State Bands, and university orchestras.

Dr. Watson is an active performer, most recently appearing in Phoenix Symphony Hall with the National Flute Association’s Professional Flute Choir. Locally, he has performed in pit orchestras at Kentucky Country Day School, CenterStage Theatre and the Sacred Heart School of Performing Arts and on stage in Whitney Hall with the Louisville Orchestra. He has also performed with the Kentucky Opera, the Louisville Master Chorale and the Evansville Philharmonic. Other collaborators have included Actors Theatre and Squallis Puppeteers. In 2006, he was a winner of the National Flute Association’s Convention Performers Competition in Pittsburgh.

Tony Watson earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Flute Performance with a minor in Music Education from the University of Georgia, the Master of Music degree in Flute Performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Valdosta State University.

He has presented on various flute-related topics at the National Flute Convention, The Kentucky Flute Society, the Indiana Music Educators Association Conference and the Kentucky Music Educators Virtual Professional Development Conference.

A founding advisor and past President of the Atlanta Flute Club, Dr. Watson is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Flute Society of Kentucky and served as Program Chair for the Kentucky Flute Festival held at the University of Louisville, January 16-17, 2015.

CHRIS SCHMIDT

Low Brass

Chris Schmidt is currently the conductor for the Louisville Youth Orchestra Horizons Brass Choir and he also is the instructor of low brass at Indiana University Southeast. He has been a low brass instructor in the Louisville KY Metro Area since 2008. There have been several of his ensembles that have performed at major conferences including the IUS Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble at the 2023 International EuphoniumTuba Festival, the Youth Performing Arts School Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble at the ITEA Midwest Regional Tuba-Euphonium Conference in 2022, and the Oldham County High School Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble was selected to perform at the 2013 and 2021 KMEA Conference. Several of his private students from various local high schools have earned placements in the Kentucky and Indiana All State Bands as well as National Honor Bands including the John Philip Sousa National High School Honor Band. Mr. Schmidt attended the University of Louisville and earned a degree of Master of Music Performance with an emphasis in Wind Ensemble Conducting in May of 2010. While at U of L he studied conducting with Dr. Fred Speck and tuba with Mr. John Jones. Mr. Schmidt was also a guest tuba soloist with the University Concert Band when he performed The Fantasia for Tuba and Band by James Curnow under the direction of Dr. Greg Byrne. Prior to his time at Louisville Mr. Schmidt attended Morehead State University where he held the position of Principal Tuba in the MSU Symphony Band and earned two degrees, a Bachelor of Music Education and a Master of Arts in Secondary Education. Mr. Schmidt was the chapter president of the International Tuba Euphonium Association. He was also awarded placements on the MSU Dean’s List, the KY Intercollegiate Band, the CBDNA Southern Division Intercollegiate Band, and the Lexington Brass Band. His primary teachers at MSU included euphonium virtuoso Dr. Earle Louder and tuba professor Dr. Stacy Baker as well as wind band conducting lessons with Dr. Richard Miles. After graduating from MSU, Mr. Schmidt taught instrumental music for eight years before beginning a freelance music career which has included solo recitals at the International Euphonium Tuba Festival in 2023 and several appearances as a guest soloist with wind ensembles and brass bands around the Louisville, KY Metro Area. Mr. Schmidt’s business CP Schmidt Music, LLC operates out of Louisville, KY where he operates a studio with sixty private students and creates marching band drill designs and music arrangements for several high school and college band programs. He also serves as an adjudicator for marching band contests, concert band, and solo and ensemble festivals. Mr. Schmidt also performs with Chamber Winds Louisville, the Derby City Brass Band and the Indiana University Southeast Band and Orchestra.