David McGrath has directed high school bands the past twenty-one years in both the states of Michigan and Georgia. Bands under his direction have received numerous honors which include: eleven appearances at the Michigan state marching band championships (capturing nine state championships); being consistent finalists at Bands of America events (the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Marching Band was named the 1999 Bands of America Grand National Champion); invitations and performances for numerous regional and national concert festivals and clinics (including the 2000 and 2006 and 2007 Bands of America National Concert Band Festival), and performing an hour-long concert for President Bill Clinton (1996). Mr. McGrath is a four-time recipient of the National Band Association Citation of Excellence.
Recent ensemble honors at Kell High School include: Finalists at every Bands of America Regional Marching Competition at which the band has performed the past five years (including a fifth place finish at the 2008 Atlanta Super-Regional Competition); Grand Champion (sweeping all caption awards) at the 2005 Brookwood Invitational; Grand Champion (sweeping all caption awards) at the 2007 White Columns Invitational, sponsored by Milton High School, and Grand Champion at the 2005-2007 Lassiter Marching Band Showcase; straight “superior” ratings at the 2009 GMEA District XII LGPE Festival; The Kell Wind Ensemble was one of 17 high school ensembles from throughout the United States to perform at the prestigious 2007 Bands of America National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana. The 2007-2008 Kell Wind Ensemble performed by invitation at the 2008 January Music Festival (Sponsored by the University of Georgia), as well as the 2008 Georgia Music Educator’s State Convention held in Savannah in January, 2008.
Mr. McGrath is active as a concert band, drum corps and marching band adjudicator and clinician. He is a member of the GMEA and the MENC. He is currently the director of bands at Carlton J. Kell High School, in Marietta Georgia.
Mr. McGrath and his wife, Kimberly, have been married for 15 years, and they are kept very busy by two young sons, Nathanial and Logan.
David Roth
David Roth joined the faculty at Kell High School as the Assistant Director of Bands in 2008. Prior to this appointment he was the Assistant Director of Bands at Kennesaw Mountain High School, where he was the primary conductor of the Concert I and Concert II Bands and assisted with the Marching Band, Wind Symphony, and Symphonic Band. In December 2006, he had the honor of conducting the Kennesaw Mountain Wind Symphony during their performance at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago.
A native of Marietta, Georgia, Mr. Roth graduated magna cum laude from the University of Georgia in December 2003 with a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and Music Composition and received his Master’s degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois in August 2007. While at UGA, Mr. Roth studied conducting with Dr. John Culvahouse, clarinet under Drs. Dannene Drummond, D. Ray McClellan, and Theodore Jahn, and studied composition with Dr. Leonard V. Ball, Jr. In addition, he has studied at the University of North Texas with Dr. Cindy McTee (composition) and under Professor James Keene while at the University of Illinois.
Mr. Roth was a member of the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps from 2000-2003, serving as the corps’ drum major from 2001-2003. While a member of Carolina Crown, he helped found the Carolina Crown Student Leadership Task Force, an initiative aimed at enhancing the level of student leadership within the corps and still in effect today. Since “aging out” of drum corps, Mr. Roth has continued to support Carolina Crown by helping teach their annual student leadership camps and Drum Major Symposium, and by serving as Vice President of their newly formed Alumni Association.
He is currently active as an adjudicator, clinician, and music arranger, and teaches private lessons for students interested in either clarinet or conducting. His professional affiliations include the National Band Association, Pi Kappa Lambda, Georgia Music Educator’s Association, Music Educator’s National Conference, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
Bio's & Staff
Kell Bands Booster Association - KBBA
PO BOX 965338
Marietta, GA 30066
Kell Bands Booster Association is a non-profit, 501(C)(3)
Donations accepted
Richard G. Dietrich
Richard G. Dietrich was born in Pontiac, Michigan and lived there until 1992. In 1999 and in 2001, Dietrich earned degrees from the Western Michigan University School of Music located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Under the private instruction of Judy Moonert, he received a Bachelor of Music Degree and a Master of Music Degree in Percussion Performance. An active performer and educator, Rick Dietrich co-directed and performed with the award winning W.M.U. Percussion Ensemble during their showcase performance at the 1998 Percussive Arts Society International Convention. He also worked for two years as percussion caption head and arranger for the W.M.U. Bronco Marching Band. Also as an active performer, Dietrich has performed with many professional ensembles including the Kalamazoo, Columbus, Macon and Savannah Symphony Orchestras. In 2001, Mr. Dietrich was the recipient of the Gilmore Foundations Emerging Artist Grant. This grant provided the opportunity to study with such artists as Leigh Stevens, Gordon Stout and She-e-Woo.
As a businessman, Mr. Dietrich, along with his wife Sarah, created the company SoundArt Percussion. This company works as a resource and communication tool that provides pedagogical and logistical information to percussionists from grades 6-12.
As an educator, Mr. Dietrich received his teaching certificate from Georgia State University. He is a member of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS). Music Educators National Conference (MENC), Georgia Music Educators Association, and Pi kappa Lambda National Music Honors Society. He is currently Associate Director of Bands at Palmer Middle School where he co-directs a program of over 350 band students. Dietrich is in his eighth year as Director of Percussion Studies at Carlton J. Kell High School.
Sarah Dietrich
Percussionists/Timpanist Sarah Dietrich earned her Bachelors of Music Degree in Percussion Performance from the Western Michigan University School of Music. During her studies in Michigan, she studied privately with percussionist Judy Moonert and Timpanist Mark Guthrie. Dietrich served as principle timpanist of the W.M.U. Smphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble for two years. She also performed with the award winning W.M.U. Percussion Ensemble at the 1998 Percussion Arts Society International Convention. Upon receiving her degree, Dietrich moved to Atlanta Georgia where she studied extensively with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Timpanist, Mark Yancich.
As a performer, Sarah is an active freelance percussionist and timpanist in the Atlanta metropolitan area. She has performed with several professional ensembles such as the Cobb, Columbus, Macon and Atlanta Symphony Orchestras. She also was a founding member of the professional percussion ensemble ‘Chix with Stix’ and performed with the ensemble at the P.A.S. Georgia Day of Percussion.
As an educator, Sarah received her Bachelors in Music Education in 2007 from Kennesaw State University. Sarah has worked with multiple programs throughout Cobb county where she has founded both the McCleskey and Palmer middle school percussion Ensemble programs. She is now Director of Percussion Studies at Allatoona High School in Acworth, Georgia. Mrs. Dietrich is also Co-Director of Percussion Studies at Kell High School with her husband, Rick.
Andy Allen
Originally from Prattville, Alabama, Thomas “Andy” Allen is currently a senior at Kennesaw State University, pursuing a bachelors of arts in dance with a minor in music. Andy previously attended Jacksonville State University, where he was a member of the Marching Southerners, Center Stage Performance Ensemble, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Andy moved to Kennesaw after being offered a teaching position with the Kell High School Marching Band.
Andy has spent the last six years performing in various color guard groups such as the internationally ranked Cavaliers Drum Corps, Spirit of JSU, Phantom Regiment Winter Guard, and The Pride of Cincinnati, where he first began his informal dance training. As well, Andy was named the 2006 Individual & Ensemble Flag World Champion along with his co-performer Brady Sanders. He also performed in New York with KSU at the ACDF national gala, summer 2008. Now recently returning from Japan where Andy performed with Aimachi Winter Guard, he is excited to rejoin the Kell family as the Director of Guard Activities.
His future goals include becoming a teacher or possibly a choreographer. Having only two years of formal training in dance, he hopes to continue to gain a better understanding of dance terminology as well as refining his technique so that he can later apply that knowledge in his choreography and teaching.
Becky Finch
Becky began her colorguard career at age 9, as a member of a Drum and Bugle corps in England. Her marching background includes Southern Aurora D&BC (UK), Mayflower Winterguard (UK), Southern Knights Winterguard (UK), Phantom Regiment Drum Corps, Interplay Winterguard, and Phantom Regiment Winterguard. She holds a British College qualification in Contemporary dance, and is currently working toward her B.S in Psychology at Kennesaw State University. Her teaching and choreographing experience includes Southern Knights Winterguard, Guardsmen Open Guard, Jenison High School (MI), Cedar Springs High School (MI), Northview High School (MI), and Paulding County High School Colorguard and Winterguard (GA).
She plans to continue on to graduate school and become a Clinical Child Psychologist.
