Directors - High School

Taylor Kollmeier is in his twelfth year as an educator and sixth year as Director of Instrumental Music at Page High School, where he also serves as Fine Arts Department Chair. His responsibilities include directing the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Marching Band, Jazz Ensemble, and String Orchestra.

Under his leadership, the Page Band program has consistently earned Superior "I" Ratings at Concert Performance Assessment and received the ASBDA Award of Distinction for three consecutive years. The Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band were invited to perform at the Music For All Regional Concert Festival at Belmont University in 2024 and 2026, respectively, with the Wind Ensemble also appearing in concert alongside the University of Tennessee-Knoxville Wind Ensemble in 2026. Students have consistently earned membership in Tennessee All-State, Mid-State, and WCS Honor Bands, with the program achieving the highest number of honor ensemble selections in school history.

The Page Marching Band has appeared in the Disney Magic Kingdom Parade (2024) and will perform in the 92nd Annual Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade (2026), while regularly competing in Bands of America, US Bands, and regional circuits.

In 2026, Mr. Kollmeier was recognized by the Country Music Association Foundation as one of thirty Music Teachers of Excellence honorees nationwide. He is the current President of the Williamson County Band Directors Association and serves as a member of the Middle Tennessee Band & Orchestra Association Executive Board.

Mr. Kollmeier holds a Master of Music in Conducting and a Bachelor of Music Education from Missouri State University. Prior to joining Page High School, he taught for six years in the Houston, Texas area.

Taylor Kollmeier, M.Mus. Director of Instrumental Music

Andrew Bannan is excited to join the band program and serve as the Assistant Band Director at Page High School. Originally from Haymarket, Virginia, Mr. Bannan moved to Nashville in 2017 to pursue a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Belmont University. Throughout college, he performed as a drumset player and percussionist with ensembles including the Premier Jazz Band, Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, and the Musical Theatre program. During the summers of 2017 and 2018, he toured the country as the drumset player for the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps, where he received the organization’s Most Valuable Performer award.

Mr. Bannan began developing his passion for teaching in 2019 while serving as a percussion instructor and private lessons teacher at Brentwood High School. Most recently, he served as the Associate Director of Bands at Father Ryan High School, where he played an active role in the continued growth and expansion of the instrumental music program. During his time at Father Ryan, the program experienced significant increases in student participation, ensemble offerings, and overall visibility within the school community. In addition to directing and teaching across the Marching Band, Concert Band, String Ensemble, and Percussion Ensemble, Mr. Bannan also taught courses including AP Music Theory, History of Rock n Roll, and World Music and Drumming. 

To complement his background in music education, Mr. Bannan earned a Master of Education in Leadership and Organizational Performance from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College. Since beginning his career as an educator, he has been recognized as an outstanding teacher by the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts. 

Outside of teaching, Mr. Bannan enjoys hiking, exploring new restaurants, and performing with local artists in the Nashville area. 

Andrew Bannan, M.Ed. Instrumental Music Director

Director - guard

Bethany Roth, M.S. Ed Director of Guard

Bethany Roth is in her sixth year as the Color Guard Director at Page High, where she oversees the color guard program in both the fall and winter seasons.

Bethany Roth holds both a Master’s and a Bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University, where she performed as a member of the MSU Color Guard, the National Avenue Winter Guard, and the Pride of Missouri State Winter Guard. She was named a BOA Grand Nationals Exhibitionist, a 3-time WGI World Championship Finalist, and a 5-time MCCGA Gold Medalist. During this time, she was also a member of the Pridette Danceline, where she utilized training in ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, and ballroom.

During her tenure at Page, the color guard has been awarded multiple awards, including gold and silver medals and a mid-season class promotion in local, BOA, and SCGC circuit competitions. They have been awarded Best Colorguard, Best Visual, Best General Effect, and Grand Champion titles within their division at competitions such as Bands at the Rock, March to the Summit, Sonic Boom, and the TN Contest of Champions.

Before moving to Tennessee, Mrs. Roth served as the Color Guard Director at Monett High School for two years and choreographed for multiple groups in the Mid-Continental Color Guard Association.

Director - percussion

Jessi Southerland, B.S.

Director of Percussion

Jessi Southerland is a Page High School alumnus who graduated in 2019. She went on to receive a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Biology from the University of Tennessee at Martin in 2023, and joined the Marching Patriots as a staff member in the fall of 2023. She is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology online from Western Kentucky University and hopes to become a school-based speech therapist.

Ms. Southerland is in her second year as the Director of Percussion at Page High, where she oversees the percussion section in both the fall and indoor percussion seasons. She also serves on the design team for the marching band show, where she helps write the percussion music. She helped lead the Indoor Percussion program to complete an UNDEFEATED first season back in competition in 2025, getting first place at every competition attended and receiving the SCGC Class A gold medal and Tennessee State Champions award.

Jessi has been involved in the marching arts since 2014, marching with Page for 10 seasons (5 fall and 5 indoor percussion). She then went on to be a world-class performer with several groups, including Audio Theater, Colts Drum and Bugle Corps, and Music City Mystique, where she had the opportunity to perform in both DCI and WGI finals. After aging out of being a performer, she has enjoyed teaching and working with several high school groups in Middle and West Tennessee.

Ms. Southerland is thrilled to be back with the Marching Patriots as an educator and to pay it forward with the skills and knowledge she has gained from her experiences. EPICA!

Directors - Middle school

Evan Burton, Ed.S. Band Director

Evan Burton is in his twenty-third year as band director at Page Middle School in Franklin, TN, where he serves as chair of the Fine Arts department. He is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and Anderson University and holds a Master of Music Education. He is a National Merit Scholar, National Board Certified Teacher, and is an elected member of the prestigious American School Band Directors Association and Phi Beta Mu. He is a member of the Tennessee Music Educators Association and Middle Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association, where he serves on the executive board. He lives in Nashville, TN, and is currently pursuing an Education Specialist Degree from Valdosta State University.

Under Mr. Burton’s direction, the Page Middle School bands have earned nearly 20 years of unanimous superior ratings at Concert Performance Assessment. They have earned the ASBDA Award of Distinction in Concert Performance four times. They were selected to perform at the Music for All Regional Concert Festivals at Belmont University in 2024 and Georgia State University in 2025. They have also been selected to perform at the Tennessee Music Educators Association Conference in Nashville in April 2026. Many Page students are selected for membership each year in the All Mid-State Bands, Mid-State Jazz Band, and the Williamson County Honors Band. Mr. Burton has been a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator throughout the Southeast and a presenter at numerous music conferences, including TMEA and the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. He was named a Music Teacher of Excellence by the Country Music Association in 2022 and 2024 and TMEA’s Middle School Teacher of the Year in 2025.

Carolyn Hankins, M.Ed. Band Director

Kevin Jankowski Headshot

Kevin Jankowski, M.Ed. Band Director

Carolyn Hankins is in her twenty-fourth year as a music educator. Dedicated to the pursuit of excellence, Mrs. Hankins’ students have distinguished themselves on the marching field, concert stage, and in individual and chamber settings at regional, state, and national levels.

Hankins is currently one of the band directors at Page Middle School in Franklin, TN, where the performing ensembles consistently earn superior ratings at Concert Performance Assessment. Both the Sunset and Page Middle Bands received the ASBDA Award of Distinction in Concert Performance multiple times and have performed at the Tennessee State Concert Festival. They have most recently been selected to perform at the Music For All Atlanta Regional Concert Festival in March 2025. Mrs. Hankins’ students are consistently selected for membership each year in the All-Midstate Bands, All-Midstate Jazz Band, and the Williamson County Honors Band. Prior to teaching Middle School in Tennessee, Mrs. Hankins served as co-director of bands in Kentucky at Hazard High School. Under her direction, the Band of Gold earned 1st in class at the KMEA State Marching Band championship, 1st in class at Bands of America Regional championships and earned the coveted Esprit de Corps award. Additionally, her concert band performed for President Bill Clinton during his campaign tour around eastern Kentucky. Throughout her career Carolyn has been awarded “Teacher of the Year” twice and named a “Duchess of Hazard” for her continued community service and civic duties. Mrs. Hankins is an active adjudicator, clinician, and consultant in both concert and marching band throughout the Southeast and is the co-founder and conductor for “Impact”, a summer music camp for band students in Williamson County.

Mrs. Hankins is a graduate of Belmont University and Trevecca University and holds a Master of Music Education. Carolyn is a member of TMEA, MTSBOA, NAfME and ASBDA. Hankins believes in the power of music to enhance all people's lives and aims to fuel a love and passion for a music-filled life through artistic growth and achievement. Carolyn resides in Nashville, Tennesse with her husband Lee and is a proud mother to her three boys, Tyler, Duff and Hank.

Kevin Jankowski was born and raised in Nashville, TN where he is now in his 13th year of teaching.

Mr. Jankowski graduated from The University of Tennessee and received his Masters from Cumberland University.

Prior to arriving at Page Middle School, Mr. Jankowski was the band director at Grassland MS for 4 years where his groups received only Superior Ratings. During this time, the band was invited and performed at the Belmont Music-For-All Concert Festival twice and his bands received the ASBDA Award of Distinction for concert performance 5 times in 4 years.

Before that, Mr. Jankowski was an Assistant Band Director at Oliver Middle School for 8 years. The Oliver Band performed at TMEA Conference twice and the Percussion Ensemble was a “Spotlight Ensemble” at TMEA in 2017. In 2019, the Oliver Band was awarded one of the highest national honors, “The National Band Association Programs of Excellence Blue Ribbon Award”. His percussion ensemble performed at the Blackman Day of Percussion and was invited to The University of Tennessee-Martin to perform on their Spring Percussion Ensemble Concert.

Mr. Jankowski also served as an instructor for the Father Ryan High School Band and Indoor Percussion Ensemble from 2011-2021. During his time with Father Ryan, The Percussion ensemble was a WGI World Class Bronze Medalist and the band received the Esprit de Corps award at BOA Grand Nationals.

Mr. Jankowski is a 4-time CMA Music Teacher of Excellence Award recipient and an Innovative Percussion Educator. He currently resides in Nolensville with his wife Heather and their 3 children Hollis, Theo, & Ellie.

His professional affiliations include: TMEA, MTSBOA, ASBDA, and PAS.

Supplemental Band Staff

  • Sky Duncan

    Color Guard Staff

  • Amanda Gootee

    Percussion Staff

  • Sean Stepnowski

    Percussion Staff

  • Matty Travis

    Wind & Visual Staff