Kenneth D. Turner
Director of Bands
Kenneth D. Turner is the new Director of Bands at White Knoll High School. He was most recently the Director of Bands at Kelly Mill Middle School, and Assistant Director of the Ridge View High School Marching Band. Kelly Mill is a relatively new school, only 4 years old. In 4 years, he has grown the band program at Kelly Mill to a comprehensive program of over 250 students, leading them to consistent Superior Ratings at state and regional festivals, as well as to enthusiastic acclaim wherever they perform. He is formerly the Director of Bands at Irmo High School, Chapin High School, Irmo Middle School, and W.A. Perry Middle School. His bands have earned three SCBDA 5A State Marching Band Championships (4 more as an Assistant Director), a Bands of America Regional Championship, consistent Superior ratings in concert performances, and was a finalist at the 2001 BOA Grand Nationals.

Under his co-direction, the Irmo Middle School Honor Band performed at the prestigious Mid-West Band Clinic in Chicago in 1998. His bands have been featured at the SC Music Educator’s Association In-Service conference three times, the USC Band Clinic and Conductor’s Symposium, and the University of Georgia Band Clinic. Mr. Turner has received the National Band Association's Citation of Excellence on five occasions, and the NBA Certificate of Merit for Marching Excellence twice.

Mr. Turner received his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education with a Performance Certificate from the University of South Carolina in 1992 and his Master of Music Education degree from USC in 2000. While an undergraduate at USC, he was the principle horn of the USC Symphony Orchestra and the USC Symphonic Band, and was the winner of the USC Concerto-Aria competition. Currently, he is a member of the SC Philharmonic Orchestra, the Augusta Symphony Orchestra, the Palmetto Brass Quintet, and the Palmetto Concert Band.

Mr. Turner’s professional affiliations include MENC, SCMEA, National Band Association, Phi Beta Mu, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, where he was former President of the Delta Sigma Chapter at USC.

Mr. Turner resides in Lexington, SC, and is married to Lorrie Turner, Band Director at Crossroads Middle School in Irmo. They have one daughter, Carol.

Chris Bussell
Assistant Band Director, White Knoll High School
Band Director, Carolina Springs Middle School

Chris Bussell is a native of Augusta, Georgia where he graduated from Harlem High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of South Carolina in 1999 and is currently working on a master’s degree from USC as well. While at USC, He performed in the marching band, symphonic bands, basketball pep band and the Left Bank Jazz Ensemble.

Mr. Bussell began his teaching career at Carver-Edisto Middle School in Cordova, SC. From there Mr. Bussell went to Lexington School District 4 and taught for 2 years at Sandhills Intermediate School and then 3 years at Sandhills Middle School. While at Sandhills Middle, Mr. Bussell was named teacher of the year and his bands earned the Outstanding Performance Award all three years of his tenure.

Mr. Bussell is an actively performing saxophonist in Columbia and the surrounding areas. He currently plays and tours with The Root Doctors, one of Columbia’s premier variety bands. Other groups that he has performed with over the years include: Shades of Grey, The Fatback Groove Band, Flashback, Sophisticated Swing, The Chris Bussell Quartet and many others.  Mr. Bussell’s professional associations include MENC, the SCBDA, Kappa Kappa Psi, Delta Omicron, Pi Kappa Lambda and The International Association of Jazz Educators. In 2005, he earned National Board Certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. Mr. Bussell’s hobbies include golf and softball.

Chris is married to Shannon Bussell. She is a teacher, a clarinetist and a former drum major with the Dorman High School marching band. She currently teaches at White Knoll Elementary School. The Bussells have a daughter (Oliva) and two miniature dachshunds (Oscar and Sophie).

Alexis B. Price, Jr.
Assistant Marching Band Director, White Knoll High School
Band Director, White Knoll Middle School
A native of Blythewood, SC, Lex recently retired after teaching the past ten years at Wagener-Salley and Corbett Middle Schools. Having also taught at Swansea, Greenwood, and Georgetown schools, Mr. Price has more than 30 years of educational experience.

Mr. Price's recognitions include Wagener-Salley Teacher of the Year, and the Aiken County Teacher of the Year Honor Council. His bands at Wagener-Salley High School included the Outstanding Performance Award and the 2000 1A Lower State band championship.

Mr. Price earned his Masters Degree at USC, and has earned more than thirty additional credit hours in Music Education. He has consistently sought training in a variety of areas, including music learning theory, music technology, and extensive coursework in gifted arts education through the South Carolina Governor School of the Arts and Humanities.

Lex is married to Valerie Price, a fifth grade teacher at Pelion Middle School, and has two sons, Michael and William, and a 15 year-old cat, Penelope Jane Price. In his spare time he enjoys hiking, backpacking, reading, and traveling. His goal is to hike the entire Appalachian Trail, having traveled parts of it through out the years.