Staff
Brandon Huff, Director of Bands
B.M. in Music Education - Texas Christian University
Mr. Huff is a graduate of Texas Christian University and currently serves as the Director of Bands at Krum High School. While at TCU, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Music Education. Mr. Huff performed in the Marching Horned Frog Band, Symphonic Band, and Jazz Band. After graduation, Mr. Huff completed his graduate course work at the University of Kansas where he served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant with the KU Marching Jayhawk band and performed with the Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble.
Before coming to Krum High School, Mr. Huff served as the Director of Bands at Irving High School in Irving, Texas for eight years. During his time in Irving, Mr. Huff led the Irving High School Band and served as the cluster leader of four middle schools which had over 1,000 students enrolled in band. Mr. Huff grew the program from 64 high school students his first year to over 200 students when he left.
Mr. Huff served as the Associate Director of Bands at R. L. Turner High School in Carrollton for five years. His duties included teaching the Marching Band, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band and beginner classes at Vivian Field Middle School and Dewitt Perry Middle School. He also served as the co-director of the R. L. Turner Symphony Orchestra.
Throughout his career, Mr. Huff has guided performing ensembles to continued success earning Superior ratings at UIL, local, and national festivals.
Mr. Huff is a sought after clinician and performer. Mr. Huff has served as clinician for many middle school and high school concert bands as well as high school marching bands as they prepare for contests. Students in Mr. Huff’s bands have earned placement in region band, orchestra, jazz band, and many have advanced to the Texas All-State Band. Mr. Huff frequently presented staff development for Irving High School as well as for the entire Fine Arts Department for IISD.
Mr. Huff believes in the power of technology in education. Developed by Mr. Huff, the Irving Band used a comprehensive “Daily Drill” method unlike any other in existence. In order to make information available to all students, Mr. Huff took full advantage of the IISD High School One-to-One Laptop Program in a normal high school band rehearsal. Each student used his/her laptop to gain access to the information stored on the Irving Band website which allowed the student musicians to continue to learn musical objectives in or away from the classroom.
Currently, Mr. Huff is developing material that will align curriculum from 6th grade beginner band through 12th grade band and beyond. This cluster wide “spiraling” curriculum will ensure that all band students are mastering the same objectives at the middle school campus culminating in the advanced objectives in high school to prepare student musicians for college level performance.
For the past 20 years, Mr. Huff has been an active musician in the DFW area. He is an advanced trumpet player having been recorded numerous times in many musical idioms.
Mr. Huff and his lovely wife Amy are the proud parents of Grace (16) and Katie (13).
Paul Ailey, Director of Percussion
B.M. in Music Education, Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Mr. Paul Ailey is the newest member of the Krum ISD Band Staff. Mr. Ailey graduated from Medford High School(Ok) in 1986 and received his bachelor of music ed degree in 1991 at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Ok. Mr. Ailey also took business courses at Oklahoma State University. Mr. Ailey’s responsibilities will include all aspects of percussion in the district, assisting with the middle school and high school bands, and providing special instruction for double reed players. Mr. Ailey has taught for 20 years in the state of Texas. School districts include Waxahachie ISD, Arlington ISD, Grand Prairie ISD, and Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD. Throughout his career, Mr. Ailey has consistently produced success in his percussion programs. His drumlines have produced high quality performances within the marching band as well as drum-line specific contests, with many top 10 placements at these contests. Mr. Ailey’s students have received many first divisions in their solo and ensemble performances, including at the state level. His favorite things to do include watching college football, pencil drawing, basketball, and playing with his kids. Mr. Ailey has a daughter, Brooke, and son, Derek.
Carol Turner, Fine Arts Consultant
B.M. in Music Education, Harding University
M.M. in Music Education, University of North Texas
Carol Turner has been a band director for 37 years, 30 of those in Krum. A native Kentuckian, she graduated from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas with a double major in Vocal and Instrumental Music. She went on to receive her Master's degree at the University of North Texas in Music Education. Mrs. Turner started the Krum band program in the Fall of 1991 and semi-retired in 2015. Since then she has served as KISD Fine Arts Consultant and Assistant Band Director. In the Fall of 2021 she started the Krum Cool Cats Piano Club with a Grant from the Krum Education Foundation, which serves 3rd-5th graders at Dodd and Dyer Elementary schools. She has traveled and performed throughout the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean and performed across Europe, including Italy, Greece, France, Romania, Belgium, Germany, Holland, and Switzerland. She and her husband Russ have one son, Jackson, who is a Music Engineer. Mrs. Turner loves to read, swim, travel and teach the teens at her church.
Ryan Farris, Assistant Band Director
B.S. in Music Education, Texas A&M Commerce
Mr. Farris grew up in Frisco, TX, where he attended Centennial High School. From there, he went on to study Music Education at Texas A&M-Commerce. While in attendance at A&M-Commerce, Mr. Farris participated in the wind ensemble, jazz band, marching band, trombone choir, brass choir, and other various ensembles. Mr. Farris won the brass division of the university’s Concerto Competition two consecutive years, in 2015 and 2016. After completing his student teaching at Marcus High School in Flower Mound, TX, Mr. Farris graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in Music Education. During the summers of 2014 and 2017, Mr. Farris marched with the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bulge Corps. In 2017, he performed as a member of the group's featured small ensemble. Mr. Farris is currently acting as Assistant Band Director for both Krum High School and Krum Middle School. Mr. Farris is beginning his 5th year as a Krum ISD Band Director
Justin Miller, Assistant Band Director
B.M. in Music Education, University of North Texas
[email protected]
Justin Miller is in his fifth year as Assistant Band Director with the Krum Band. His responsibilities include assisting the Middle School bands, the High School Concert bands, and the Krum Marching Blue Brigade. Mr. Miller is a woodwind specialist and teaches the beginner woodwind classes and assists with the beginner brass classes. Prior to his teaching appointment at Krum, Mr. Miller served as a Supplemental Marching Staff member and Clarinet Private Lesson Instructor for the Marcus High School Cluster. Mr. Miller attended the University of North Texas where he earned a Bachelor degree in Music Education. While at UNT, he studied clarinet with Deborah Fabian, saxophone with Sean Murphy, and piano with Eldred Marshall. Mr. Miller performed as a clarinetist and saxophonist with the Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Concert Bands, and University Band, conducted by Dennis Fisher, Dr. Nicholas Williams, and doctoral conducting students, respectively. Mr. Miller was a three year member of the UNT Green Brigade and had the privilege of serving as Section Leader and Field Technician for two years. Mr. Miller hails from Flower Mound, TX where he graduated from Marcus High School. He and his wife, Katie, have three beautiful children, August, Ellis, and Josephine. Mr. Miller is a member of the Texas Music Educators Association and the Association of Texas Small School Bands and is an active performer.