Xenia Band Program Staff

Mr. Donald R. Avery, Jr.: Director of Bands

Mr. Avery has a B.S. in Music Education from the University of Dayton, a M.M. in Wind Conducting from Butler University and is currently completing a graduate degree in mathematics. He has studied conducting with Dr. Timothy Swinehart, Harvey Benstein, and Stanley DeRusha. Mr. Avery has 14 years experience as a high school band director, as a well as, adjunct faculty at the University of Dayton. For the past two years he has been the assistant marching band director for the Greenview High School marching band. In 2009, the band placed 6th in class at Mid-States Band Associations Championships. Mr. Avery has assisted with the Xenia Marching Band various times over the past ten years, including drill design and assistant director for the 2000 OMEA State Finalist XHS Marching Band. Prior to teaching in Xenia, he was director of bands at Tecumseh High School and during his tenure the marching band was an OMEA State Finalist every year. In 1998, the marching band was one of only 18 bands in the state to receive all superior ratings at the OMEA State Finals Championships. While director of bands at Beford Lawrence High School in Indiana, Mr. Avery administered the 700 member band program, as well as directing the marching band, wind ensemble, freshman band, and jazz band I. All the bands received superior rating at ISSMA competitions. While at Grayson County High School in Kentucky, Mr. Avery's marching band received superior ratings at KMEA State Championships every year and in 1989 was awarded 5th place in the state. He is also a marching band adjudicator, clinician and a former member of the 22 time National and World Champion Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, from Rosemont, Illinois. Mr. Avery was also a member of the 2008 Cavalier Alumni Corps which performed at Drum Corps International World Championships. He has also designed band shows for various bands in the tri-state area.