Mel Saunders
A native of Roanoke, Virginia, retired in June of 2007, after 33 years as an instrumental-music teacher in Mercer County. He spent the first six years of his teaching career at Central Junior High School in Bluefield, West Virginia, and 27 years as Band Director at Bluefield High School. His Bluefield High School bands received consistently high ratings over the years, and the Beaver Marching Band was well known for its traditional "8 to 5" marching style.
Mr. Saunders has worked with numerous instrumental groups in the two Virginias and has taught tuba at Concord College and served as brass instructor with the West Virginia Youth Symphony in Charleston, WV.
He graduated from Concord College in Athens, WV, in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science in Music Education degree. He graduated from Shenandoah Conservatory of Music of Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA, in 1997 with a Master of Music Education degree. His thesis "The History of Town Bands in Selected Regions of the United States, 1890-1942" was a major factor in the formation of the East River Mountain Town Band, which Saunders founded and conducts. This community band, in its 11th year of existence, currently numbers 60+ members, with musicians from four counties in the two Virginias.
Mr. Saunders' professional memberships included West Virginia Professional Educators and Music Educators National Conference. He was Secretary-Treasurer of the West Virginia Bandmasters Association for 24 years. He served for six years as President of Tau Chapter of Phi Beta Mu International Band Fraternity and was named "West Virginia Bandmaster of the Year" in 1996. He was also Bluefield High School's "Teacher of the Year" in 2000 and was selected as Twin State News Observer "Best Musician of the Two Virginias" in 1998. He was named an Outstanding Music Educator by the National Federation of State High School Music Association in 2004.
He resides in Bluefield with his wife Holly. He has two grown children, and his youngest child Emily is a freshman at Carson-Newman College in Tennessee.
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