Lafe Cook, Director of Bands

Lafe Cook has been a high school band director for 29 years and is in his 24th year as the Director of the Dobyns-Bennett Band in Kingsport, Tennessee. Mr. Cook is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where he was drum major of the Pride of the Southland Marching Band and a graduate assistant with the music department. He taught at E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, Virginia for six years prior to coming to Dobyns-Bennett.

Mr. Cook’s teaching responsibilities at Dobyns-Bennett High School include directing the Wind Symphony, the Marching Band and administering the 380-member band program. He is the Supervisor of Secondary Bands for Kingsport City Schools. He also has served two terms on the board of directors for the Kingsport Ballet and he currently serves the City of Kingsport as a liaison regarding improvements in Kingsport’s arts and entertainment infrastructure and atmosphere through the OneKingsport movement. Mr. Cook is a the past president of the Tennessee Music Education Association. He is the past state chair for the Tennessee Music Education Association, past president of the Tennessee Bandmasters Association, and past president of East Tennessee Band and Orchestra Association. Cook served two terms on the Board of Directors of the National Band Association and currently serves on the Bands of America Advisory Board..

Mr. Cook is a four-time recipient of the National Band Association’s Citation of Excellence and was honored by the John Philip Sousa Foundation as a Sudler Flag of Honor Laureate. He was named “Aide de Camp” to the Governor of the State of Tennessee in 2005. Mr. Cook was elected into the prestigious American Bandmasters Association in 2008 and at the time was the organization’s youngest member and one of only 35 high school band directors in the 380-member organization. Mr. Cook has been a clinician for state and regional honor bands as well as university honor ensembles in 18 states and has presented at the Midwest Clinic and multiple TMEA Conventions.

Ryan Gilbert, Associate of Bands

Ryan Gilbert has been teaching since 1997 and has served as the Associate Director of Bands at Dobyns-Bennett High School since 2002. He received his Bachelor's in Music Education from Lee University and his Master's in Education from Tusculum College. Mr. Gilbert has arranged the marching band music for eleven shows performed by the Dobyns-Bennett Marching Band. These shows have produced numerous first place awards including two Governor's Cup wins at the Contest of Champions, and a first place in music at a Bands of America Regional.

Mr. Gilbert's teaching responsibilities include Music Technology, AP Music Theory, Marching Band, and director of the Symphonic Band. Mr. Gilbert's theory students have typically maintained 95% passing rate on the AP exam since he began teaching the course in 2002. His concert bands have received superior ratings every year they have participated in concert festival. Ryan resides in Kingsport with his wife Mollie and daughters Ellie and Gwyn.

Jacob Carpenter, Assistant Director of Bands

Originally from Cincinnati, OH, Jacob Carpenter attended the University of Kentucky for his Undergraduate Degree in Music Education. While at UK, he taught several area high school marching bands and managed a large private horn studio. Jacob then spent a few years as an Assistant Band Director in his home district of Milford, OH. After gaining some experience, he returned to college full time to pursue his Master’s Degree in Music Education at Bowling Green State University with additional study in wind conducting and horn performance. Before arriving at Dobyns-Bennett, Jacob is currently the Director of Bands at North Jr. High School in Evansville, IN.

In addition to these scholastic achievements Mr. Carpenter has been involved with the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps since 2010. He was a member of the mellophone section and was also Drum Major for their 2014 production. Mr. Carpenter has consistently remained on the instructional staff since 2015 teaching the mellophone section and Drum Majors.

Jed Garvey, Color Guard Director

Jed Garvey spent over a decade performing with elite ensembles, and has been an educator in the activity since 2008. Following high school graduation, he spent the next four winter guard seasons performing with Winter Guard International A-Class Finalist Southeast Independent Winter Guard from 2009 to 2012. Jed then went on to perform with WGI Open-Class Finalist Etude Winter Guard in2013, and then with 5-time WGI World Champions Onyx Color Guard in 2014 and 2015. For three summers, Jed Traveled the country performing with Drum Corps International Finalists the Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps from 2009 to 2011. Jed has had the privilege to serve has a designer and choreographer for several well established programs including Spirit of Atlanta, Pacific Crest, The Colts, The Cadets, The Mandarins, Juxtaposition Winter Guard, and Etude Winter Guard.

Jed graduated from East Tennessee State University where he earned his Bachelor’s in Literature and Language. He also has a passion for graphic design, and serves as a graphic artist for the Dobyns-Bennett High School Band.

Daniel Del Moro, Percussion Director

Daniel has been the Percussion Director for Dobyns-Bennett HS/Kingsport City Schools since 2021. AtDobyns-Bennett, he manages the competitive marching band percussion ensemble, showband drumline, three percussion ensembles, steel drum band, indoor percussion, and three concert band percussion sections. He also splits his time during the day between the two feeder middle schools: John Sevier and Ross N. Robinson Middle Schools. Daniel is currently a snare technician for the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps. He earned a Bachelor of Music from Middle Tennessee State University. While at MTSU, he studied under Lalo Davila, Julie Davila, Dr. Matt Jordan, and Dr. Brian Mueller. Daniel was the Ensemble Coordinator at Audio Theater Percussion (WGI/PIW) from 2017-2020. He has been a visual instructor at the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps, the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps, and the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps. Daniel was a Tennessee All-State musician and has performed as a snare drummer in a variety of organizations including the MTSU drumline, Army All-American Marching Band, Music City Drum and Bugle Corps, Colts Drum and Bugle Corps, and the Madison Scouts. His WGI experience includes Palmetto Percussion and Atlanta Quest. Daniel has performed numerous times at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention and won the 2016 chamber percussion ensemble competition with the MTSU sextet. Daniel is proud to play Innovative Percussion as an educational artist!