David L. Smith, Director of Bands

Mr. Smith recently completed his ninth year as Director of Bands at Colerain High School. His responsibilities include Concert Band, Band Sectionals, Wind Symphony, Jazz Lab, Cardinal Marching Band, Jazz Bands.  The bands at Colerain Have performed twice in the Walt Disney World Resorts, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and in 2005 New York City winning the National High School Jazz Festival.  Prior to beginning his duties in the Northwest School District, Mr. Smith taught in the Kenton County School System at Simon Kenton High School and Twenhofel Middle School for 6 years where his ensembles received Distinguished ratings each year at the KMEA Performance Assessment Events as well as performing in Orlando, Florida and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Mr. Smith is a member of OMEA, MENC, OEA, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and the International Trumpet Guild and has received the Nobel Prize for Distinguished Educators and has been featured as a member of the Who’s Who of American Teachers 10 times, and was named Colerain High School Teacher of the Year in 2007-08. Mr. Smith resides in Hebron, KY with his wife Melody and daughter Madison

Mr. Greenwood has recently completed his ninth year as Assistant Director at Colerain High School. His responsibilities include band sectionals, wind symphony, marching band, pep band, and brass choir as well as serving as the director at Colerain Middle School. Prior to beginning his duties in the Northwest School District, Mr. Greenwood taught both in the Kenton County School District as assistant band director at Simon Kenton High School, and at Beechwood High School as assistant and head director where his ensembles received Distinguished rating each year at the KMEA Performance Assessment Events. Mr. Greenwood is a member of OMEA, MENC, OEA, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and has been named Who's Who Among American Teachers and an Ashland Oil "Teachers Who Make A Difference.". Recently, Mr. Greenwood received the "Educator of the Year" award from Colerain Middle School, and the "Friends of Children" award from Colerain High School. Mr. Greenwood lives in Hebron, KY with his wife Stacie and daughters Quincy, Montgomery, and Jolie.

John M. Boys, Assistant Director of Bands

Mr. Boys has recently completed his sixth year teaching band at Colerain High School. His responsibilities include marching band, wind symphony, pep band, band setionals, as well as assisting Mr. Smith and Mr. Greenwood with the other various ensembles. In addition, Mr. Boys is the band director at White Oak Middle School. A 2004 graduate of Miami University, Mr. Boys has a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and a minor in Music Theory/Composition. Currently, he is working toward a Masters of Music Education degree from Miami as well. He is a member of OMEA, MENC, OEA, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Mr. Boys' wife, Sarah, also teaches band in the district. They currently reside in Fairfield, OH with their adorable bulldog, Winston.

Adam C. Nurre, Director of Percussion

Adam Nurre is in his 9th year as Percussion Director for Colerain High School, where his responsibilities include teaching and arranging for the Cardinal Marching Band, JV and Varsity Winter Percussion Ensembles, and curricular Percussion Class, as well as maintaining a large private lesson studio. Under his direction, the program has achieved high levels of artistic and competitive success, including many high percussion trophies, receiving the TriState Circuit silver medal in 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010, and being named a 2010 WGI Regional finalist. Adam has performed with many award-winning marching ensembles, including Amelia HS, Southwind Drum & Bugle Corps, Apex Indoor, Eklipse Indoor, and Moxie Audio Theatre. His teaching experience also includes Dayton HS, Conner HS, Highlands HS, Southwind Drum & Bugle Corps, Spirit of JSU Drum & Bugle Corps, Apex Indoor, and Moxie Audio Theatre. Adam is a senior music education student at NKU, where he was selected for the KMEA All-Collegiate Jazz Band in 2008, the PAS Kentucky Intercollegiate Percussion Ensemble in 2009, and has twice had the honor of performing at the KMEA annual convention with Symphonic Winds in 2009 and the NKU Big Band in 2010. Adam was the winner of the first annual NKU Music Department Solo Competition in spring 2010, performed as a featured soloist at the OMEA/MENC convention in January 2011, and will make his debut as a soloist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in February 2011. In addition to teaching and going to school, Adam also teaches taxidermy classes and keeps a busy schedule of professional engagements. He has performed with the Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony, the Clermont Philharmonic, and plays regularly with several funk, country, jazz and church music groups throughout the greater Cincinnati area. Adam is a member of PAS and MENC, and resides in Newport, KY with his dog Leroy.

Nicholas Sebastian, Assistant Director of Percussion

Nick Sebastian is in his third season with the Colerain Marching Band. He is a graduate of Northern Kentucky University, where he received a Bachelor of Music Degree in Percussion Performance. He was a member of several on campus ensembles including: NKU Symphonic Winds, NKU Philharmonic, Percussion Ensemble and the NKU Steel Drum Band. He has performed with the Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony Orchestra, the Clermont Philharmonic and in pit-orchestras of local, awarding-winning theatre productions. He can also be seen performing regularly with the cover band Corner Pocket and the steel drum group The SoCalyptics. Nick lives in Highland Heights, KY and is employed by both the Musical Arts Center and the NKU Music Preparatory Department, where he teaches drumset and classical percussion lessons.

Scotty McEvoy, Assisant Director of Percussion

Scotty McEvoy has been a member of the Colerain Percussion staff for three years. He is a soon-to-be graduate of Northern Kentucky University with a Degree in Music Education, and will be attending Miami University in the fall of 2011, seeking a Master’s Degree in Percussion Performance. While at NKU, Scotty was a member of numerous ensembles, including the Symphonic Winds, Percussion Ensemble, Jazz Combo, Northern Chorale, NKU Philharmonic, and Steel Drum Band. Aside from going to school and teaching, Scotty can be found performing with various musical groups throughout the Greater Cincinnati area. Since beginning his career, he has performed with the Clermont Philharmonic Orchestra, Powerhouse Boogie Band, Leroy Jenkins, and other ensembles of varying genres. He has also played percussion and drum set for several musical theatre productions at both Miami University and Xavier University. In 2007, Scotty founded the steel drum band The SoCalyptics and can currently be seen playing steel drums with various bands all over the Tri-State area. Scotty is also the arranger and Director of Percussion for the marching band at Walnut Hills High School, and has been since 2006.

Elizabeth Cheesman , Director of Guard Activities

Elizabeth Cheesman has been Director of Guard Activities at Colerain since the Fall of 2007. Her marching experiences include Grant County Marching band 1998-2001, Grant County Winter Guard 1999-2002 and Phantom Regiment Drum Corps 2002, 2003 and 2005. Her teaching experiences include Campbell County 2002-2006 and Simon Kenton 2006-2008. She also helped out at Southwind Drum Corps, North Hardin, Madison Central, Dunbar and other schools around the tri-state area. Elizabeth has completed her Associates Degree in Business Administration and works at a financial services firm in Northern Kentucky. She resides in Florence, KY with her husband Jameson and daughter Elison..

Edwin Asuncion, Assistant Director of Guard Activities

A native of Kentucky, Ed has served as band director, co-director and staff at Dixie Heights High School and Beechwood High School from the late 80's through early spring of 2000. Each program reached successful multi-year finalists results at the Ky. State and Bands of America Nationals arenas. Since then, he has collaborated as a designer with programs in the Ky, Ohio and Indiana areas including: North Hardin, Taylor Co., S. Oldham, Colerain and Ballard programs respectively. He holds bachelors degrees in Psychology and Music Education from the University of Kentucky and Northern Kentucky University and has also served as adjudicator for the Tri-State Circuit, Midwest Colorguard Circuit, Kentucky and Illinois Music Educator's Association. He has continued to work with winterguard programs including: North Hardin, Campbell Co., Simon Kenton and Norwood High School who each medalled at their respective Tri-State Championships during his tenure. He currently resides in Chicago and serves as music consultant for the Lake Central Band program in St. John, Indiana in addition to working as a human resources consultant for a financial investment firm.

Staff Responsibilities