John Boyd earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Jacksonville State University in Alabama in 1997. He was hired as the Director of Bands at Henry E. Lackey High School in Indian Head, MD from 1997 – 2001 and has been the Director of Bands at Princess Anne since July of 2001. Princess Anne High School is home to PA Bands and is a 23-time Virginia Honor Band with 15 of those years coming under the direction of Mr. Boyd. Known throughout the region for its famed marching band, the Fabulous Marching Cavaliers, under Mr. Boyd’s leadership Princess Anne has also engaged its audiences with its Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Speed of Sound Big Band, student-run Jazz Combo, various small ensembles, and Percussion Ensemble. He founded the Big Spring Jam — an annual concert series for area percussion ensembles and jazz ensembles — as well as the Dominion Storm Indoor Drum-line, and is a charter organizer and provided the conceptual vision of the Virginia Marching Band Cooperative.
Mr. Boyd’s ensembles consistently earn Superior Ratings: on the most challenging literature graded by the state of Virginia for the PA Wind Ensemble; and on the entry level “Advanced” literature for the PA Symphonic Band. Following the PA Bands ideal that every performance ensemble should be assessed for student feedback and growth, The Speed of Sound Big Band and Fabulous Marching Cavaliers are also consistently-rated as Superior ensembles. Mr. Boyd is in demand as an adjudicator for marching and concert bands, a clinician for marching and concert bands, and as a guest conductor for honor bands in Virginia and Maryland. Additionally, he has presented several professional development sessions on band topics in music conferences in multiple states.
He is married to Mrs. Kelly Boyd, a PAHS 12th grade IB English and 11th and 12th grade IB Theories of Knowledge teacher, and they have been blessed in life with their son Gabriel and daughter Elliot.
