Staff
Joseph Cole
Director
Mr. Cole is in his 5th year of teaching at Seymour. He started his career as the Asst. Band Director at Seymour before moving to Head Director last year. Mr. Cole played trombone at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, graduating with a Bachelors’ of Music Education in 2018. Mr. Cole performed extensively with the top University Ensembles such as Wind Ensemble, the Pride of the Southland, Trombone Choir, Sharkbait Brass, Volunteer Brass, Trombonery, UT Orchestra, UT Opera, various churches and community bands, as well as numerous other groups.
Mr. Cole's teaching responsibilities at Seymour include directing the Symphonic Band, Marching Band, Jazz Band, Boyd's Creek Elementary School Band, and administrating a High School and Elementary School Band Program. Mr. Cole's groups at Seymour have received straight superior ratings at ETSBOA's concert festival in grades 3-6, placed at and won marching band competitions, marched at the University of Tennessee with the Pride of the Southland Band, and and most importantly: made a positive difference in their community. Mr. Cole remains committed to using instrumental music as a beautiful tool to shape young people into positive, productive, and honorable people.
In his limited free time, he loves to spend time with his dog Athena and play disc golf!
Zachary Alegria
Assistant Director/Percussion Specialist
Mr. Alegria began his teaching career in 2012 at Waverly Central High School as the Assistant Director of
Bands in Waverly, TN. The WCHS Marching Band was quite successful during his two-year tenure. In
2014, Mr. Alegria accepted the Assistant Director of Bands at Adamsville Junior/Senior High School in
Adamsville, TN. During Mr. Alegria’s tenure at AJSHS, the band won 1 st Place at the Division 1 State
Championship (2015), 2nd place at the Division 2 State Championship (2016), and 2nd place at the
Division 1 State Championship (2014). Mr. Alegria’s main tasks as a band director with a percussive
background was to work with the drum line and front ensemble (placing 2 nd /2 nd /4 th from 2014-2016 in
Div. 1/2 in percussion). After marching season was over, his focus was on concert band and percussion
ensemble. The performance groups worked on a variety of fundamental exercises and pieces of music
ranging from Grade 3-5 per the Tennessee Rating System.
In 2017, Mr. Alegria accepted the Director of Bands position at University School, which is a part of the
Clemmer College at ETSU. There were three tiers of learners: beginners, intermediate, and advanced (as
well as the percussion class); this range is from 6th grade to 12th grade. His classes were devoted to
growing each musician to align with the Tennessee State Standards as well as the skills needed to be
successful at participating in local area events in the Northeast Region (ETSBOA and University honor
bands).
Mr. Alegria is a native of Gallatin, TN and graduated from Station Camp High School in May 2007 with an
honor’s diploma. He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with his Bachelor of Music
degree, with a concentration in Music Education (Instrumental Certification) in May 2012 with Magna
Cum Laude honors. He performed as a percussionist in the Symphony Band, University Orchestra, Bryan
Symphony Orchestra, Troubadours Jazz Ensemble, Golden Eagle Marching Band, Percussion Ensemble,
and Wind Ensemble at TTU. Mr. Alegria performed at the 2010 PASIC Showcase Concert as a temporary
member of the “nief-norf project” and the 2008 ABA Conference with the TTU Symphony Band. Mr.
Alegria was on the Dean’s List for 10 semesters, had multiple four-year music and academic
scholarships, won the “Charles F. Bryan” Most Outstanding Music Education Major Award, the “Captain
Anderson Scholarship” for the Bryan Symphony Orchestra, was the drum line section leader for the
Golden Eagle Marching Band, & was the principal percussionist for the TTU Symphony Band, TTU Wind
Ensemble, and Bryan Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Alegria loves to spend his free time with his wife, Dakota, their cat Yoshi, and their two corgis: Gimli
and Legolas. Their favorite activities are to go on hikes throughout the region, play videos games, and
play “Dungeons & Dragons”. Mr. Alegria is ecstatic to be a part of the Seymour High School Band family!
Jason Franklin
Guard Instructor/Design Staff
Jason Franklin has been the Director of Guards at Seymour High School in Seymour, Tennessee since 2008. In that time, the Seymour Guard has consistently been at the forefront of the scholastic pageantry activity in the East Tennessee area. All aspects of the guard program strive to achieve at the highest levels with participation in Winter Guard International (WGI), Bands of America (BOA), Carolina Indoor Performance Association (CIPA), and East Tennessee Performing Arts Association (ETPAA). Mr. Franklin brings a variety of experiences including a music education background, years of teaching/coaching, being a board member for the local guard association (ETPAA), and as a performer.
Mr. Franklin is a native of the Tri-Cities area of Tennessee and graduated from Sullivan East High School. He studied Music Education at East Tennessee State University and performed with the Wind Ensemble, Saxophone Quartet, and Marching Band as Drum Major in 2002. He is a graduate of Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, TN with a degree in Elementary Education (BS in 2010), and Middle School Endorsement (2012). He also received a Masters Degree in School Administration in 2017. Mr. Franklin served as Guard Director at Clinton High School from 2004-2009 and works with numerous programs locally and nationally as a consultant. Mr. Franklin previously taught at Boyds Creek Elementary as a 7th and 8th grade math teacher, and is now one of the Assistant Band Directors for Seymour High School.