Cullman Bearcat Band
Directors
We are very proud of our directors. Together they represent years of quality teaching experience. It is their level of dedication to our students that allows the Cullman Bearcat Band to be a successful program year after year.
Christopher Smith is in his 23rd year of teaching and his 20th as a band director in the Cullman City School System. He serves as the Director of Bands at Cullman High School where he conducts the marching band, symphonic band, jazz band, German band, and pep band. Mr. Smith's bands at Cullman have received multiple "Superior" ratings and "Best in Class" honors at marching band contests throughout the Southeast. The symphonic band has received superior ratings at the ABA State Music Performance Assessment every year of Mr. Smith's tenure at Cullman.
Over the past 20 years, the marching band has appeared in numerous nationally televised events including the ABC6 Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia, the Nation's Parade in New York City, the McDonalds Thanksgiving Day Parade in Chicago, IL, and the "CBS Morning Show". Mr. Smith's bands have received numerous commendations from the Cullman City Council and Cullman City Board of Education, as well as, other professional organizations. Mr. Smith was named Cullman High School’s Teacher of the Year and was also named Cullman City Schools Secondary Teacher of the Year for the 2021-2022 school year.
During his time at Cullman, Mr. Smith has served as the Head of the Fine Arts Department and has hosted events on the CHS campus including ABA District III Band Assessment, CBA Pre-MPA, ABA District III Honor Band, Southeastern All-Star Music Camp, and the Cullman County Band Exhibition. Prior to working at CHS, he served as the director of bands at Lawrence County High School and Moulton Middle School. While at LCHS, he and his bands received numerous superior and 1st place ratings at band contests throughout the region, as well as a commendation from the Lawrence County Board of Education for "Outstanding Performance" as director of the LCHS band.
Mr. Smith graduated from Cullman High School and received his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from the University of Montevallo. His professional affiliations include NAfME, AMEA, AEA, and the Alabama Bandmasters Association.
He and his wife Leeanna have a nineteen year old daughter named Madison Elizabeth and a fourteen year old son named Grayson Christopher.
Linda Bean is in her 34th year as band director at Cullman Middle School in Cullman, Alabama. Mrs. Bean directs the beginning and advanced band programs including marching, concert, and jazz bands. She is a graduate of Fairview High School and attended Wallace State College, where she received her Associate of Arts degree. She also received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Montevallo and a Master of Music Education degree from the University of North Alabama. Mrs. Bean has served as a presenter for both The National School Board and The Alabama Association of School Boards featuring the use of technology in the classroom. The CMS Band Course was featured as one of twelve international courses honored for innovative use of technology by Desire2Learn.
Mrs. Bean was selected as Cullman Middle School’s Teacher of the Year for 2010 and in 2013 she was named Cullman City Schools’ Technology Teacher of the Year. In 2019 Mrs. Bean was selected as a Featured Band Director for Vandoren Paris Educator Resources. In 2021 Mrs. Bean was named Cullman Middle School’s Teacher of the Year and was also named Cullman City Schools Secondary Teacher of the Year for 2021. Most recently Linda Bean has been working to provide the Alabama Learning Exchange (ALEX) with computer science-based lesson plans for music education.
Linda is married to Robert Bean and has two children, Robert and Marie Bean. Her professional affiliations include NAfME, AMEA, ABA, AEA, and the Who's Who of American High School Teachers
Doug Teuscher holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from the University of North Alabama. While at UNA, he participated in the "Pride of Dixie" Marching Band, as well as the Wind Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble. He was also an active member of Music City Drum and Bugle Corps and Music City Mystique.
Mr. Teuscher has been the band director at Pickens County High School in Reform, Alabama and has worked as an instructor for Music City Drum and Bugle Corps, Hartselle High School, and has consulted with many north Alabama music programs. He also completed his internship at Muscle Shoals High School and Middle School where he asissted with all of their bands as well as their world-champion percussion ensemble.
Mr. Teuscher majored in percussion, but is also an All-State caliber woodwind musician having been selected for the Alabama All-State Band on Bass Clarinet in 2008 and 2009. In addition to his studies with all of the band instruments, he is also an accomplished guitarist.
Mr. Teuscher serves as the assitant director to both Cullman High School and Cullman Middle School. He assists at the high school with the CHS Marching Band and he conducts the CHS Concert Band, and Percussion Ensemble. Mr. Teuscher also spends part of his day at Cullman Middle School working with Mrs. Bean and all of her performing ensembles.