farragutpress

New to Marching Ads, Smith brings ‘Heart of Glass’

July 23, 2025 by Tammy Cheek

With a new director at the helm, Farragut High School Marching Admirals band members have been learning new moves and music during its annual band camp, which continues through Friday, July 25.

To round out the camp, a public performance is slated for 7 p.m., July 25, on FHS’s Bill Clabo Field inside Eddie Courtney Stadium.

Since Monday, July 14, 152 band members have been on the field and in classrooms being instructed on this year’s show, “Heart of Glass,” based on the 1980s’ song performed by Blondie.

“I think the audience and the people are going to love it,” said Andrew Smith, who takes over this school year as the band’s new director, replacing Kenneth L. Carrico III. “It’s a song almost everyone will be familiar with.

“This show is going to have some music by Blondie; a little bit of music by Nirvana, the ’90s rock band that people will be very familiar with,” the new director said. “The theme is a play on words, too.”

He explained the show also will feature American classical music composer Philip Glass and described the story as “imagine a heart on the field … is going to literally break and then it will come back together at the end of the show.

“We’ll have this really cool telling of the story through music of someone going through heartbreak and loss and recovering from that,” Smith added.

This year, seniors Maggie Doyle and Carleigh Tilson and junior Ari Kim were chosen as drum majors.

The band will take part in four competitions: Clinch River Classic Saturday, Sept. 20, at Clinton High School; Karns Marching Invitational Saturday, Sept. 27, at Karns High School; Contest of Champions Saturday, Oct. 25, at Middle Tennessee State University; and another contest still to be determined.

“I’m beyond excited,” Smith said. “I can’t wait (to get started).”

Regarding the band, “They are doing wonderful,” he said. “These kids, in this community, are eager to learn, they are willing to learn, but they also have the fundamental skills and the drive that’s necessary to be great as a performer.

“These kids are very committed and driven, and they practice like crazy,” Smith added. “They have a wonderful foundational step for them at Farragut Middle School … (the FMS band directors) have really done an exceptional job of preparing the kids, so when they get to high school they’re ready to go.

“(The band) has done some amazing things over the years, and I just hope they continue to attain that (by) just pushing them a little further.”

About his new role at FHS, Smith said, “I’ve met some wonderful people here: Dr. (John) Bartlett (principal), the community — the students, especially, more than anything,

“I’m excited to work with great students, get to be a teacher and get to be someone who can positively impact their lives in more ways than just music,” he added.

Smith is going into his eighth year as an educator. He taught at Powell High School, where he was head band director from 2022 through the 2024-25 school year. Prior to that, he was an assistant band director from 2018 to 2021.

In preparation, Smith completed his bachelor’s degree in music education at Middle Tennessee State, his master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Tusculum College and his Educational Foundations degree in educational leadership from Morgan State University in Maryland.

About joining FHS, the band directorship “was a position that opened up and definitely is a position at a place that people want to be,” he said.

While thinking Farragut would be a wonderful place to be, Smith still loves his students and position at Powell High School. But several of his family members live in Farragut.

“It was something where it would be nice to be closer to family,” Smith said about why he applied for the position.

“I want (the band) to be great in everything we do,” he added.

“I don’t want us to wait to be great. I don’t want kids to kind of just mosey through and feel like they’re kind of just going through the motions.

Specifically, “I want them to constantly approach every day with a love for music and a love for performing,” Smith said. “We have big goals, big dreams — performing more concerts, performing at a high level in marching band competitions. We want to do very well.

“We’re going to push ourselves to do the very best we can do,” he added. “But, at the end of the day … I want our kids to be in a place where they are seen, loved and heard, and they feel valued and they feel (they are in) a place where they can continue to grow as a person, then a musician.

“A band director, just like a coach, gets to see these kids grow over a course of four years, as opposed to maybe one semester. I get to spend time with them. That time is invaluable …

Outside of music, “I want to help positively influence and be a role model for young people. ... I want them to leave the program as a better human and a better musician when they’re done,” Smith said.