Andy Sanders is a twenty-one year veteran band director/percussion instructor who has taught in the public schools of Mississippi and Texas. Mr. Sanders also served on staff with the Sky Ryders Drum & Bugle Corps. He currently serves as the Director of Bands in Southaven, Mississippi. Under his direction, the Southaven Band Program has become one of the pre-eminent band programs in the state of Mississippi.

Mr. Sanders received his Bachelor of Music degree from The University of Mississippi and his Master of Music Education degree from the University of Southern Mississippi under the direction of Dr. Thomas Fraschillo. His bands have received Superior Ratings consistently through the years in marching, sight-reading, and concert performances. In the year 2000, Mr. Sanders was selected as The Mississippi Band Director of the Year. He has also served as both Marching Director and Percussion Instructor for the Mississippi Lion’s All-State Band. In 2007 Mr. Sanders was selected to instruct and conduct the Mississippi All State Concert Band.

For the past eight years Mr. Sanders has served as the Percussion Judge Administrator for Winter Guard International. His WGI administrative duties include judge training, judge assignments, and various educational endeavors for WGI.

Brian Pitts, Symphonic Band Director & Woodwind Instuctor

Brian Pitts is a native of Senatobia, MS. He participated in the band program at Senatobia High School under the direction of such instructors as David and Elva Kaye Lance, Cindy Hampton, and Marc and Debra Johnson. Upon graduation from Senatobia in 1983, Mr. Pitts began his studies at Delta State University in Cleveland, MS.

He attended Delta State University from 1983 until his graduation with a Bachelor's of Music Education degree in May of 1987. Dr. William Clark and Dr. Martin Hearne influenced his love of performing during this time. Mr. Pitts has also taken advanced courses at the University of Mississippi with David Willson.

His teaching positions have included:   Madison-Ridgeland Academy, Warren Central High School, and Oak Grove Attendance Center. In January of 2000 Mr. Pitts began teaching at Southaven High School. He is in charge of the woodwind instruction of grades 6-12 and the Symphonic Band at the high school level.

Mr. Pitts has been active all over the state as an adjudicator and as a performer in various professional wind ensembles and pit orchestras. He has also presented numerous clinics and master classes for the instruction of single reed instruments. Most recently, he has arranged selections for the lobby show performed by the Mississippi Lion's All-State Band.

Jacques de Marché, Assistant Band Director

Deanna Nicholson-Kieffer, Middle School Band Director & HS Assistant

Deanna Nicholson-Kieffer is from Niceville, Florida and holds a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degree in music education from the University of Mississippi. Prior to coming to Southaven, she served as a graduate assistant with the University of Mississippi Band Department. She has also previously served as a counselor with the Hartwick College Summer Music Festival and Institute in Oneonta, New York.

As a clarinetist, Deanna has performed with the UM Wind Ensemble, the L-O-U Symphony Orchestra, the Oxford Shakespeare Festival, the UM student woodwind quintet, and the Corinth Symphony Orchestra. Her professional memberships include Sigma Alpha Iota, Phi Kappa Phi, Pi Kappa Lambda, and the International Clarinet Association.

Missy Moffitt Jenkins, Guard Instructor
Missy first marched with the Colts in the summer of 1990. She then moved to The Phantom Regiment where she marched for the 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1994 seasons and was a sabre for the 1992 show. She also marched with the WGI Independent Open Class Champions of 1994, Chimeras as a sabre.

Missy began her color guard teaching career in 1994 at Houston High School. She taught there for 5 Winter guard season and 4 fall season ending with the 1998 "Ghost" winter guard show. Missy also taught for three years at The University of Memphis, for two years at Munford High School and at Cordova High School for three years. Missy and her partner Jeremy Driver formed World Finalist Winter guard Amalgamation in 2004.

Missy received her Bachelor in Education at the University of Memphis and taught at Arlington Elementary for one semester and in Florida schools for three years. She has been happily married to her husband Scott since 1998 and they are the proud parents of A.J. born in October of 2001 and Tristan born in February of 2004.