Rodney Workman named new band director at Asheville High School and the School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville

Press release from Asheville City Schools: 

Rodney Workman has been named the new Band Director for Asheville High School and the School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville.

“Asheville City Schools’ Band Program has a huge depth of talent and interest,” explained Workman. “It’s a place where there has been a really great band for a really long time, and I look forward to this next chapter of working alongside Asheville students and staff members.”

Workman is currently the Director of Bands at Central Davidson High School in Lexington, NC and Immediate Past-President of the North Carolina Bandmasters Association.

For the past 12 years, he has taught band at Central Davidson Middle and High School where his band has received superior ratings in Grades II, III, IV, V and VI-Masterworks at the District Music Performance Assessment. He teaches three high school concert band classes, leads the after-school marching band as well as assists with the middle school bands, serving more than 520 students each day. During his tenure with Central Davidson, Workman’s concert bands performed at Atlanta Symphony Hall, the President’s Club and the Charleston Music Festival.

Additionally, Workman was named Central Davidson’s 2011-2012 Teacher of the Year and was selected as one of School Band and Orchestra Magazine ’s “50 Directors Who Make a Difference” in 2014.

Prior to his time in Lexington, Workman taught at East Burke Middle School where he was named Burke County’s 1st Year Teacher of the Year in 2005.

In addition to his school work, Workman has served on staff for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s Summer Music Camp, Cannon Music Camp and Mars Hill
University’s Summer Music Camp. He is also a conductor of the Carolina Ambassador’s Honor Band, which means Workman’s students have performed in concert halls across England, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Italy.

Workman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Performance as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from Appalachian State University. Additionally, he is a member of the National Band Association, the American School Band Director’s Association, the Gamma Beta Phi Society, Kappa Delta Pi and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity.

In regards to his new position, Workman is very eager to be part of the Cougar Band Program.

“Asheville’s culture proves there’s a lot of interest in the arts, and the Cougar Band Program reflects that,” he said. “Yes, we’ll play music that’s culturally relevant and entertains the crowd, but my goal, first and foremost, is to build relationships with students and give them stability.”

Effective July 1, 2019, Workman will be replacing Interim Band Director Mike Wilson.

“Mr. Wilson was the Immediate Past-President of the North Carolina Bandmasters Association while I was the President-Elect,” said Workman. “He and I are very similar. We’re both all about our students, so I feel like the transition will be a smooth one.”

When he’s not attending musical performances across the Southeast, Workman enjoys traveling and trying new restaurants.

Please join us in welcoming Rodney Workman as the new Band Director of Asheville High School and the School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville.