Behind the Baton

"Legacy is not about what you accomplish. It's about what others accomplish because of you." ~Mark Batterson

"Success is when you add value to yourself. Significance is when you add value to others."
~John R. Miles

"Compliance is the seedbed for mediocrity, and commitment is the fuel for sustained levels of elite performance." ~Mark Miller

Dr. Shawn Knopp is the guest on The Growing Band Director Podcast with Kyle Smith. 
 

Alex McMahon is an experienced music educator, conductor, and professional musician who has worked with students from elementary through high school. His teaching responsibilities have included concert band, jazz band, marching band, pep band, and beginning instrumental music. In addition to his classroom work, he has coordinated honor bands, professional events, and other large-scale music activities within his district.
Alex currently serves as president of the South Central Kansas Music Educators Association, where he helps oversee district activities, coordinate honor ensembles and professional events, support area music educators, and work with association leaders on programming, policies, and organizational planning.
He earned bachelor’s degrees in music education and trombone performance from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, and a Master of Music degree in instrumental conducting from Wichita State University.
His professional interests include educational and music technology, and expanding access to music through creative teaching approaches.
Connect with Alex:
Email: alexander.l.mcmahon@gmail.com
 
KWCH News: "Andover 5th grader with dwarfism uses adaptive instrument to play in school band" 
https://www.kwch.com/2026/04/11/andover-band-teacher-helps-create-adaptive-instrument-fifth-grader/
 
Andover Public Schools Documentary
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/14ixzfnD6J2/

Dr. Myra Rhoden serves on the faculty at the University of West Georgia where she conducts the UWG Symphonic Band and teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in Music Education.
As the founder of Athena Music and Leadership, Rhoden has created programs and opportunities to empower young women through music while equipping them with lifelong leadership skills that can be used in any profession.
Drawing on over 30 years of experience as a high school band director, Rhoden frequently serves as a guest conductor for state, regional, and university honor bands and is honored to have presented sessions at The Midwest Clinic, the Bands of America Summer Symposium, national, state and regional conferences, and for school systems and professional development clinics throughout North America. Her concert bands have performed at national and international venues while her marching bands have won numerous Grand Championships and earned finalist positions at Bands of America Regional and Super Regional competitions.
Rhoden has received national recognition for her contributions to music education including having the honor of being elected to the prestigious American Bandmasters Association, the Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity, and the John Philip Sousa Foundation Legion of Honor. She has been awarded the Tau Beta Sigma Outstanding Service to Music Award, the Women Band Directors International Golden Rose Award, the 2018 Band Director of the Year from the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), and multiple National Band Association (NBA) Citations of Excellence.
Connect with Dr. Rhoden
mrhoden@westga.edu
https://athenacamp.com/
Myra's Book: Through My Music: Inspiring the Next Generation of Leaders
 

Dr. Rachael Urquhart is the director of bands at Quakertown Community High School in Quakertown Community School District, Quakertown, PA. Her responsibilities at Quakertown HS include conducting the Symphonic Band and Wind Symphony and teaching keyboard and American music history as elective courses. Dr. Urquhart is also the director of the Quakertown Community High School Panther Marching Band. 
Dr. Urquhart earned her Ed.D. in Policy, Planning, and Administration from West Chester University of Pennsylvania in 2026, with an emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction. Dr. Urquhart’s dissertation was entitled Beyond Superpowers and Stereotypes: Female High School Band Directors Navigating Gendered Expectations in Leadership. Her research centered the leadership perceptions and career aspirations of female music teachers and highlighted the career obstacles and encouragements of female high school band directors (FHSBDs). She was a recipient of WCU’s Graduate Student Association and Graduate Council Award for Excellence in Scholarship and/or Creative Activity (2026).
She also holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education (2011) and a Master of Music in Music Performance with a concentration in Wind Conducting (2016), both from West Chester University of Pennsylvania. 
In addition to Dr. Urquhart’s responsibilities as a public school band director, she is an involved member of Women Band Directors International (WBDI), especially at the state level. During the summers, Dr. Urquhart is the clarinet and band ensemble teacher at West Chester University’s Elementary/Middle School Summer Music Camp and a clinician with the drum major staff at Vivace Productions’ Incomparable Marching Band Workshop, West Chester University location. Dr. Urquhart is also a co-author of the book, Marching Band Techniques.
Rachael enjoys spending her time outside of being a band director with her incredible and supportive husband, Matt; her family, and her super cute mini Australian Shepherd, Kelby.
Connect with Dr. Urquhart:
Email: rurquhart@qcsd.org

Ryan Runyan is the director of 5-12 bands at IKM-Manning High School in Manning, IA. A graduate of Simpson College in Indianola, IA, Ryan has 14 years of experience teaching ensembles such as marching, jazz, concert, and pep bands, as well as color guard and speech.
Ryan has taught entirely in rural Iowa schools, teaching five years at West Marshall High School in State Center, IA, in addition to his nine years at IKM-Manning CSD in Manning, IA.
His passions include music, film,, and spending time with his wife and daughter at Disney World.
 
Connect with Ryan:
Email: rrunyan@ikm-manning.k12.ia.us