William J. Connell was named Director of Bands at Grissom High School in July 1986. Along with directing the marching band, he conducts the Symphonic Band I and the Concert Band. The Symphonic I and Marching Bands have never received less than a Superior rating and have consistently won or placed in State, Regional and National Competitions. The Concert Bands I and II have never received less than Superior ratings in District, and Superior or Excellent rating in State and National Competitions. The Grissom Bands under Connell have been on the cutting edge of innovation and performance techniques both in concert and marching idioms.
In 1994 Connell directed a composite band from North Alabama on a ten-day tour of England and France commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Allied Expeditionary Forces’ Invasion of Normandy during World War II. The Band played concerts in London and South Hampton, England, plus Cherbourg and Paris, France.
Connell has been an adjudicator in concert and marching throughout the southeast and along the Atlantic Seaboard. He also has been a guest clinician in the Southeast. He is a member of several professional organizations, including: MENC, NBA, PBM, ASBDA, and the national, state and local educational associations.
Before coming to Huntsville, Connell was Director of Bands at Spring Valley High School in Columbia, South Carolina. His Concert and Marching Bands were frequently invited to perform for several state, regional and national conferences. They too consistently received superior ratings in concert, marching and jazz.
Mr. Connell received his Bachelors and Masters Degrees from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where he was Drum Major for two years. After finishing college, Mr. Connell taught at Holston High School in Knoxville for four years. During that time the Holston Band consistently received superior ratings in Concert, Marching and Jazz competition.
In 1994 Connell directed a composite band from North Alabama on a ten-day tour of England and France commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Allied Expeditionary Forces’ Invasion of Normandy during World War II. The Band played concerts in London and South Hampton, England, plus Cherbourg and Paris, France.
Connell has been an adjudicator in concert and marching throughout the southeast and along the Atlantic Seaboard. He also has been a guest clinician in the Southeast. He is a member of several professional organizations, including: MENC, NBA, PBM, ASBDA, and the national, state and local educational associations.
Before coming to Huntsville, Connell was Director of Bands at Spring Valley High School in Columbia, South Carolina. His Concert and Marching Bands were frequently invited to perform for several state, regional and national conferences. They too consistently received superior ratings in concert, marching and jazz.
Mr. Connell received his Bachelors and Masters Degrees from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where he was Drum Major for two years. After finishing college, Mr. Connell taught at Holston High School in Knoxville for four years. During that time the Holston Band consistently received superior ratings in Concert, Marching and Jazz competition.
Theo Vernon Associate Director of Bands at Grissom High School since 1985, holds degrees in Saxophone Performance and Music Education from The University of Alabama and a Masters degree from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. He attained National Board Certification in 2003 and re-certified in 2013. He was the first band director in the state of Alabama to receive this certification.
He received, as the State of Alabama’s first Instrumental Music Educator, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification in November 2003. He received re-certicfication as a National Board Certified Teacher for the years 2013-2023. At Grissom, Vernon works with the 220+ marching band, directs the Symphonic Band II, rehearses with the Symphonic Band I and Concert Band, and also directs the two jazz bands.
While in college he was hired by Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, to perform with the All-American College Marching Band (1983) and also as the Assistant Director for the first ever All-American College Orchestra at EPCOT Center (1984).
Mr. Vernon conducted the Grissom Band on stage at the prestigious MidWest Band Clinic in his first year of teaching. His band has performed at the Music For All Concert Band Festival as well as numerous Dixie Classic Festivals including consistent superior ratings at their Grand National Adjudicators Invitational Festival. Symphonic Band 2 was accepted and performed at the Alabama Music Educators Conference in January 2016.
His Jazz Bands have represented the state of Alabama and the United States at several venues :
Mr. Vernon is a member of state and national organizations including: ABA, MENC, NEA, NBA, Phi Mu Alpha, JEN and the Alabama chapter of Phi Beta Mu; the national band directors fraternity. Vernon has served as a District Chairman and IAJE president for the state of Alabama.
He received, as the State of Alabama’s first Instrumental Music Educator, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification in November 2003. He received re-certicfication as a National Board Certified Teacher for the years 2013-2023. At Grissom, Vernon works with the 220+ marching band, directs the Symphonic Band II, rehearses with the Symphonic Band I and Concert Band, and also directs the two jazz bands.
While in college he was hired by Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, to perform with the All-American College Marching Band (1983) and also as the Assistant Director for the first ever All-American College Orchestra at EPCOT Center (1984).
Mr. Vernon conducted the Grissom Band on stage at the prestigious MidWest Band Clinic in his first year of teaching. His band has performed at the Music For All Concert Band Festival as well as numerous Dixie Classic Festivals including consistent superior ratings at their Grand National Adjudicators Invitational Festival. Symphonic Band 2 was accepted and performed at the Alabama Music Educators Conference in January 2016.
His Jazz Bands have represented the state of Alabama and the United States at several venues :
- a two-week Austrian tour celebrating Austria's millennium in June 1996
- the prestigious "Essentially Ellington" Jazz Band Festival and Competition in 1999
- a performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. in 2000
- selected as one of four U.S. high school jazz bands to perform at The International North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague, Holland in 2002.
- selected as one of 12 bands from across the U.S. to compete in the Swing Central Jazz Band Competition in Savannah, Georgia in 2013, 2015 and 2017.
Mr. Vernon is a member of state and national organizations including: ABA, MENC, NEA, NBA, Phi Mu Alpha, JEN and the Alabama chapter of Phi Beta Mu; the national band directors fraternity. Vernon has served as a District Chairman and IAJE president for the state of Alabama.
