Steve Ballard

TJHSST Band Director, TJMC Director, TJDL Director & Front Ensemble Arranger

Steve Ballard, TJHSST Director of Bands, TJMC Director, and TJ Drum Line Director
Steve Ballard, TJHSST Director of Bands, TJMC Director, and TJ Drum Line Director

In July 2020, TJ Bands welcomed Steve Ballard as the new Director of Bands at TJHSST. Mr. Ballard, an alumnus of W.T. Woodson High School, went on to attend Ithaca College in New York.  At Ithaca College, he received a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Performance, studying primarily under world-renowned percussionist Gordon Stout, and a Master of Music in Music Education, with Dr. Keith Kaiser as his primary advisor. A Fairfax County Public Schools elementary band director at Fort Hunt and Woodley Hills ES from 2003 until 2020, Mr. Ballard served as the Associate Director of TJ’s bands since the winter of 2003-04, working with the TJ drum line and marching band for 17 years. With TJ, he has won multiple State and Regional Marching Band Championships, the AIA A and Open Class Indoor Drum Line Championships and placed as an A Class Finalist and an Open Class Semi-finalist at the WGI World Championships. He is a Vic Firth endorsed music educator, a member of NAfME, and a regular performer with the Fairfax Wind Symphony.Mr. Ballard met his wife, Samantha, through her long-time involvement at TJHSST.  Samantha serves as the color guard director and primary show designer for all of TJ’s fall and winter marching ensembles. Steve and Samantha Ballard now live in Manassas, Virginia, with their children, Crystal and Brayden.

Read more about Mr. Ballard’s experience in the marching arts.