Staff Bios

Kevin D. Hebert
Director of Bands
KHebert@lex5.k12.sc.us

Kevin Hebert was named director of Bands at Chapin High School in July of 2010.  Mr. Hebert is from Columbia, SC and an alumnus of Irmo High School.  He earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of South Carolina.  While at the University of South Carolina, Mr. Hebert served as Vice President of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and was also a member of the World Champion 2000 Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps and is a current member of the Palmetto Concert Band.

He previously was the Director of Bands in the Bristol Tennessee City School System in Bristol, TN from 2002-2010.  While at Tennessee High School, he directed the Symphonic Band, the Jazz Ensemble, and Marching Band.  Mr. Hebert also started and coordinated the Indoor Percussion Ensemble and two Winterguards that have been WGI Regional finalist several times.  Under the direction of Mr. Hebert, the Tennessee High School Band has been awarded the Tennessee Bandmasters Award 6 consecutive  years and the Symphonic Band has performed at the State Invitational Concert Festival 4 times.  The THS Marching Band has been named the USSBA Southern States Champions for the past 5 years and placed 5th place at the first annual USSBA National Championship in 2006.

Mr. Hebert is a member of the South Carolina Band Director’s Association, Music Educator’s National Conference, National Band Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.  Mr. Hebert has also been named as one of School Band and Orchestra’s “Americas 50 Band Directors that Make a Difference”.

Mr. Hebert lives in Chapin with his wife Noel , his 3 year old son Cody and newborn Claire.

David Santiago
Asst. Director of Bands
DSantiag@lex5.k12.sc.us

Director Chapin Middle School

Mr. Santiago is a native of Columbia, South Carolina where he graduated from Irmo High School in 1981. He received his Bachelor of Music Education in 1985 from the University of South Carolina in Columbia and received his Masters of Music Education in 1986 from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.  Mr. Santiago is currently doing post-graduate work in order to complete his thirty hours above his Master’s Degree.

Mr. Santiago has served as Assistant Band Director for the Chapin School since 1986 demonstrating dedication and loyalty to his school and community.  In 1991, Chapin Middle School was opened and Mr. Santiago has served as Band Director for CMS for the past 20 years while still assisting with all facets of the entire band program 6th-12^th grades. Under Mr. Santiago’s direction, the CMS Bands have received consistent Superior ratings at Concert Festivals and Contests throughout the Southeast.

The CMS Bands have been awarded 24 consecutive “Outstanding Performance Awards” given annually by the South Carolina Band Director’s Association. The CMS band consistently places students in the SC All-State Band as well as Regional and District Honor Bands and has numerous students make Superior ratings at the SC Solo and Ensemble Festival every year.  In his first year at Chapin, Mr. Santiago started the Chapin High School Jazz Band. Under his direction, the Jazz Band has received consistent Superior ratings at State, Regional and National Jazz Festival over the pass 24 years. The CHS Jazz Band has placed at least one student in the SC All-State Jazz Band each of the past 24 years and had 5 members of the CHS Jazz Band make the 2005 All-State Ensemble.

Mr. Santiago is active as a clinician/adjudicator and has served as a guest clinician throughout the state of South Carolina. He also served as Director of Winds and Percussion for the Tri-District Arts Consortium for seven years. Mr. Santiago was awarded the American School Band Director’s Association’s “South Carolina Middle School Band Director of the Year Award” in 1997 and was also awarded the Chapin Middle School “Teacher of the Year” in 1993-94. . In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Mr. Santiago performs regularly as a professional trumpeter for special services and events throughout South Carolina.

Mr. Santiago currently holds memberships in the MENC, NBA, SCMEA, SCBDA, IAJE, Phi Mu Alpha and Phi Beta Mu National Band Fraternity. Mr. Santiago served a three year term (2006-2009) on the Board of Directors for the National Band Directors Association as one of four Middle School/Junior High School representatives on this prestigious Board.

Mr. Santiago lives in Chapin, South Carolina with his wife Kimberly and their three children: Christian, Colin, Nicole.

Matthew Jones
Percussion Instructor

Josh Brown
Music/Marching Instructor

Josh Brown is a native of Charleston, SC where he graduated from James Island High School in 1997. He attended the University of South Carolina and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Music in 2003. While at USC he was an active member of the USC Marching Band and Symphonic Band under the direction of Professor James Copenhaver. His extracurricular engagements included marching with the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps in 1999 as well as the Cadets of Bergen County, who won the DCI World Championship in 2000. After his age-out year he was a counselor at the Brevard Music Center for two summers. There he had the privilege of performing with and learning from recording artists such as Sam Pilafian, Dan Satterwhite of the Dallas Brass, and Keith Lockheart of the Boston Pops.   After working for Verizon Wireless for several years he has returned to USC to complete his Bachelor of Music Education Degree and is currently the principal euphoniumist for the USC Wind Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Scott Weiss. His present extracurricular engagement is assisting instruction with the Chapin High School Marching Band. Prior to working with the Chapin High School Band he assisted with the marching bands of Batesburg-Leesville, Lugoff-Elgin, Dutch Fork and Perry High School in Perry, GA.