About the Director
John Boyd is the Director of Bands at Princess Anne High School in Virginia Beach, VA. A native of Southern Maryland, he moved to Northern Virginia his senior year of high school. He graduated from Woodbridge High School in 1992, after which he attended Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama majoring in Music Education and graduating in May of 1997. His primary instrument was saxophone, but he also marched baritone and later tuba (Conn model 20-J) in the legendary Jacksonville State University “Marching Southerners”.

After college, he was hired as Director of Bands at Henry E. Lackey High School in Indian Head, Maryland from August 1997 until June 2001. His first year at the school, the Lackey Charger Marching Band earned a berth in the prestigious Tournament of Bands Atlantic Coast Championships for the first time in school history, and returned there every year under his direction. He also founded the Showtime Big Band, and placed heavy emphasis upon the Concert and Symphonic Band programs, with the Concert Band performing at the Maryland State Band Festival.

He has been at Princess Anne High School since August 2001, directing the Symphonic Band, the Speed of Sound Big Band, the Wind Ensemble, and the famed Fabulous Marching Cavaliers. Princess Anne High School is an active member of Tournament of Bands as well as VBODA, performing at a high level in each. Mr. Boyd founded the Speed of Sound Big Band (the PA jazz ensemble) during his first year at Princess Anne, as well as instituting the “Big Spring Jam” concert series for percussion ensembles and jazz ensembles. During his tenure at Princess Anne the band program has earned the distinction of “Virginia Honor Band” numerous times (2002-2003, 2005-2006, 2006-2007, and 2007-2008), for achieving Superior distinction at both the VBODA State Marching Festival in class 2A and the VBODA District II Concert Band Festival on grade 6 literature. Some of the pieces performed by the PA Wind Ensemble during his time as director include (among others): Aegean Festival Overture (Makris), Hymn of the Highlands (Sparke), Pas Redouble (Saint-Seans), Morning Alleluias for the Winter Solstice (Nelson), Blue Shades (Ticheli), In the Spring at the time when Kings go off to War (Holsinger), American Overture (Jenkins), Canzona (Menin), “Finale” from Symphony No. 5 (Shostakovich), The Seventh Seal (McBeth), “Finale” from “Symphony No. 9 in E minor: From The New World” (Dvorak), Incantation and Dance (Chance), and Morning Alleluias for the Winter Solstice (Nelson).

Mr. Boyd’s professional influences include in the field of conducting: Mr. Anthony Maiello, Dr. Sandra Dakow, and Maestro Alberto Ascercion; in the field of jazz: Mr. Randy Runyon and Mr. Chris Culver; in saxophone: Dr. Ron Attinger, Mr. Mike Hamilton, Mr. Carl Anderson, and Mr. Randy Runyon; and in the field of marching arts: Mr. Bobby Jones. Mr. Boyd’s professional affiliations include Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Professional Fraternity for Men in Music in America, Music Educators National Conference, Virginia Music Educators Association, Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association, International Association of Jazz Educators, The Conductor’s Guild, and the Jacksonville State University Alumni Association. He is also featured in “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers”.

John is married to Mrs. Kelly Boyd, an 11th grade English and IB Theory of Knowledge teacher at Princess Anne High School. They have been blessed in life with their two children, Gabriel and Shannon.