CECILY YOAKAM JOINS UNION BANDS FACULTY

Ms. Cecily Yoakam is excited to come home to Union as an assistant band director.

Ms. Yoakam graduated from the University of North Texas where she studied oboe with James Ryon and completed her student teaching practicum under Mrs. Kathy Johnson in Argyle ISD.

Upon her graduation, Ms. Yoakam taught at Barton Middle School in Buda, TX, teaching primarily beginner woodwinds. She then served as the Advocacy and Educational Resources Coordinator at Music for All, Inc. in Indianapolis. Ms. Yoakam then spent five years as an assistant band director at Liberty High School in Frisco, TX. She is actively involved with Music for All, where you’ll find her greeting marching bands in parking lots across the country, and serving as Coordinator for the SWAG Team at the Bands of America Summer Camp in Muncie, IN.

Ms. Yoakam was a drum major for the Union Renegade Regiment, drum major for the North Texas Green Brigade Marching Band, and conductor for the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps. She is extremely excited to return to the Regiment family!

Tulsa Symphony Offers Discounted Tickets to Students

The Tulsa Symphony Orchestra would like to encourage area students to experience professional performances of fine music in a concert setting, by offering tickets at the discounted rate of $9.00 to any of the Patti Johnson Wilson Classics Series concerts.

This Series of concerts is held at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center, 110 E. Second Street; the Sunday, April 7 is held at The University of Tulsa.

Tickets may be purchased through Thursday before each concert by calling 918-584-3645. When calling, the must leave their name and the name of the school they attend. If ordering tickets for friends, their name and school needs to also be provided. Tickets may also be purchased at the TPAC box office prior to the 7:30pm concert time.

A pre-concert talk, given by the guest conductor, is from 6:30 to 7:00 in the Westby Pavilion on the Promenade level of the TPAC.

Welcoming Mr. Matt Barnes

Union Bands is excited to welcome to our full-time faculty Assistant Director Mr. Matt Barnes!

For ten years previous Mr. Barnes held the position of head band director at Morris High School in Oklahoma. His ensembles at Morris received numerous OSSAA awards, and the marching band was crowned the 2013 OBA Grand Champion, among other significant accolades. 

Since graduating from Oklahoma State University in 2013, Mr. Barnes has been actively involved in arts education in Oklahoma. He is a clarinetist and bass clarinetist primarily, but has experience performing on saxophone, brass instruments of all kinds, and bass guitar. He also enjoys music theory and composition. Mr. Barnes marched with the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps in 2011 playing euphonium. He designs for guards, marching bands, and indoor drumline ensembles. Mr. Barnes has played an important role in the visual program at Resistance Indoor Percussion for a decade, where he coordinates staff and teaches visual technique & performance.

When he isn't teaching, Mr. Barnes loves tall cups of fancy coffee with nothing added and exploring the natural beauty the world has to offer. Overall, he believes the musical arts have incredible power to communicate in ways beyond words, and arts education has the potential to transform lives. He is excited to bring his skills and ideals to Union Public Schools.

Matt Barnes | Asst. Band Director | July 2023