You don’t have to watch John Gunter lead the Gaston Symphonic Band to know he’s a passionate conductor. You only have to listen to the musicians he directs during a performance. “My idea is not to be that guy that stands up there and just waves his arms but to let my emotion and what I’m feeling come through in the way I conduct and for that to come through in the music,” Gunter said. John Gunter previously served as assistant director under Julius Barkley before assuming band leadership last summer. He said the role comes with a certain amount of pressure and expectation. “Some of the best band directors in our county have been directors of this band. Some of the best musicians in our county have been part of the band,” he said. “You’re stepping into a musical history of Gaston County when you become the director of the Gaston Symphonic Band.” His extensive musical background prepared him to fill the shoes of the directors that came before him.

Mr. Julius Barkley’s first rehearsal in June, 2006 ended a twenty-one year hiatus as a director  of a band. Four rehearsals later and it was his first concert in twenty-one years.  Prior to his exodus from directing bands he had served as the Director of Bands at Bessemer City Jr. and Sr. High Schools for ten years (1975-1985). In 1985 he began his public school career in administration. He retired as Principal of Belmont Central Elementary School.

In August 2004, the Gaston Symphonic Band Board of Directors announced that Mr. Bob Hendrick would lead the band during the 2004-2005 concert season. Mr. Hendrick was a High School Band Director for thirty years. Three of those years were spent as assistant director of the Kings Mountain bands and until his retirement, he served the last twenty-seven years as Band Director at Crest Senior High School in Boiling Springs, NC. Under his leadership, the bands at Crest won numerous awards, both on the marching field as well as the concert stage.

A native of Nyack, New York, Hendrick graduated High School at Shelby and began his music education degree at Mid-Western University,  Texas, while serving in the U.S. Air Force. Following four years of military duty, he received his B.A. degree from Gardner-Webb College. He remains active in many of the States’ band activities and has held many District, State and National offices throughout his teaching career. He is a past member of NCMEA, MENC, and NCBA and currently holds memberships in the John Philip Sousa Foundation and SBDA. In 1991 Hendrick was awarded the North Carolina State “Award of Excellence” given annually by the N.C. Bandmasters Association. He and his wife, Lydia, are members of the Polkville Baptist Church where he has also served as Director of Music for 32 years.

During Mr. Kirby’s absence, Mr. Tim Hamilton was asked to serve as the interim Music Director of what had become known as the Gaston Symphonic Band. At the end of the 2000-01 season, following Mr. Kirby’s passing, the Gaston Symphonic Band Board of Directors offered Mr. Tim Hamilton the position as the new Music Director of the Gaston Symphonic Band. Mr. Hamilton served as the Music Director until May of 2004.

The Gaston County Community Band was established in 1993 after founding director, Mr. Seth Kirby, overheard two gentlemen at a swing band concert wishing someone would organize a community band for adult members. At that time, Mr. Kirby was band director at Mount Holly Junior High, so he had a place the new band could practice and the means to offer some equipment.

He got together with friends Leary Cloer – who was a member of the band until his death in August 2007 – and Dr. Bruce Trefz and began inviting people they knew who previously had played an instrument to join the band. During Mr. Kirby’s tenure, the Gaston County Community Band continued to grow into a full symphonic band, of more than 60 members, that played a variety of music. To reflect this growth, the volunteer based community band eventually became known as the Gaston Symphonic Band. Mr. Kirby remained Music Director of the band until illness struck in the fall of 2000.