Panelists
Greg Bruner
Greg Bruner teaches the Senior Band, Senior High Jazz Band, assists with Junior Band and teaches Beginning Band Percussion Class. Mr. Bruner is a 1987 graduate of Highland High School. Growing up as a Methodist minister’s son, he attended many schools before finishing 8th-12 grade at Highland. He attended Arkansas State University (BME/MME) . After teaching six years at Corning, Mr. Bruner returned to Highland and is in his 21st year as the high school band director.
Mr. Bruner is the immediate Past President of the Arkansas School Band and Orchestra Association where he has served on the board for seven years, and he is the Executive Secretary of the Arkansas chapter of Phi Beta Mu, an honorary band fraternity. He also serves on the Board of DIrectors of Dixie Band Camp.
Under Mr. Bruner's direction, the Highland Bands have earned regional, state, and national recognition for having a superior band. Each year many students from the Highland Band go to college because of band scholarships and many have gone on to be band directors and professional musicians.
Mr. and Mrs. Bruner have three sons: Harrison, Luke, and Evan. In his spare time, Mr. Bruner enjoys any type of DIY project, and his band kids joke “Mr. Bruner can build anything out of PVC.” In the summer you can find Mr. Bruner building or landscaping something, or possibly playing Zelda.
Hope Bruner
Hope Davis Bruner is a 1989 graduate of Highland High School. She graduated from Arkansas State University in 1993 and taught at Biggers-Reyno and Piggott before moving home to Highland. Mrs. Bruner is the director of the Junior Band and teaches the beginning band brass (trumpet/trombone) class. She also assists with Senior Band and Jazz Band. Mrs. Bruner has played the trumpet for over 30 years. She loves teaching middle school students - especially beginners - and she loves wearing hats!
Description
Nick Averwater talks with Hope and Greg Bruner, band directors in the Highland School District in northeastern Arkansas. They talk about what it's like maintaining a successful band program in a small, rural community, balancing family time and work time, and techniques for recruiting and retaining new students.
Podcast