Longtime Robbinsville band director departs
Eleven years ago, the position of music director at Graham County Schools made the transition from Joseph Earp to a new, fresh-out-of-college director, Jameson Stout.
As a senior in high school, Stout’s band program underwent a director transition.
“The first director was really my inspiration to go into music as a career, and my senior year was the deciding factor,” said Stout. “I was the drum major, and I really enjoyed conducting the marching band.
“I applied to Western and was accepted, but it wasn’t until my freshman orientation that I decided my major: music education.”
During his time at Western Carolina University, Stout began his career as a student-teacher at Swain County High School, under the direction of Karen Williams. The on-the-job training afforded Stout with the opportunity to learn how to direct an ensemble –hands-on – with Swain’s program.
After completing his student teaching and graduating from Western Carolina, Stout began the search for a teaching job. The search quickly concluded, as he heard about an opening in Robbinsville – as a countywide director, teaching students from 5th-12th grade.
As he began his new job, Stout was very excited, but also nervous. He was unsure if his students would accept him as the new director, and if he could live up to the legacy of previous directors.
“My first few years were hard. I was a new director with new students, and it was hard for everyone to get used to the change,” Stout admitted. “After a few years, though, it clicked. I was putting too much pressure on my students to do better – even though I was the problem, but I didn’t realize that.
“I thought that surely I couldn’t be the issue, but I found out otherwise, and that is when the program began to improve.”
As band director of Graham County Schools, Stout had many responsibilities.
As the elementary, middle, and high school concert band director – as well as marching band, chorus, and clubs such as Jazz and Rock Band – his job was far from easy.
Sometimes teaching over 100 students at a time, Stout rarely had time for anything other than his job. Many problems, most of which occurred last minute – also arose for Stout.
“Last year’s marching show really showed me what my students are truly capable of,” Stout boasted.
The 2019 marching show – entitled “Fright Knight” – underwent many changes. As numbers dwindled, the band had to adapt with a new drumline, without a drum major, and altered music.
This was one of many difficult years for Stout, but he would always find a way.
Though it was a difficult job, it came with many rewards.
“Two thousand and twelve was my first time getting into the swing of things since I started,” Stout explained. “It was the first time it really seemed like everything was coming together. This year’s marching band show was the best I had ever directed, and things began to work in the concert band settings.
“Another one of my favorite years was in 2015, when the band took a trip to New Orleans. We had a lot of fun, and we had the opportunity to perform at the World War II Museum. In 2017, too, it seemed like the band was at its peak with the “Date Knight” marching band show.
“This was also my first year coming back after my accident, a cardiac arrest event while running a race on the beach, which was almost fatal, so it seemed like the students were all working harder for me. Every year has had its ups and downs, but those few years seemed like they were the peaks of my career.”
After eleven years of directing at Graham County Schools, Stout has decided to leave the position.
“I love teaching here,” Stout said. “My students will forever be my students – and I will forever be a Black Knight – but this is for the best.” As Stout closes this chapter of his life, he will open a new one, as the director at a charter school west of Charlotte.
“When I began teaching at Graham County Schools, I was a bachelor. I never thought about kids, or a family. All these years later, I have a wife and two daughters,” Stout explained. “At this point, we are just too far from our families. One of the main purposes of the move is to get closer to family. We will be about two hours away from my parents, and an hour away from my wife’s parents.
“It will be much easier for our kids to see their grandparents, and for us to see our parents.”
During his time as the director at Graham County Schools, Stout has made a positive impact on many of his students. As the inspiration for many of them to pursue music as a career, as a role model, and as a friend.
“He has been my favorite teacher since the beginning, and I’m going to miss him a lot,” said senior Siera Prather.
“He has been my inspiration to teach music for many years,” echoed junior Max Norris.
Jameson Stout began his teaching career as an excited, young graduate.
Eleven years later, he has become a great director and teacher.