Brad HudsonBrad Hudson has been the Director of Bands at the Kirksville R-III School District since 2007. Brad graduated from Kirksville High School in 1995 and attended Culver-Stockton College to pursue a degree in music. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree from Culver-Stockton, Brad was selected as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Kansas State University in Manhattan. He graduated in 2001 with a Master of Music Degree emphasizing in education and conducting.
He started his teaching career at Leeton R-X School District in 2001. During his six year tenure at Leeton, Brad’s band’s consistently received Superior and Excellent Ratings at the MSHSAA State Music Festival. The involvement of students was also very high in MSHSAA Solo and Ensemble District and State Music Festival, WCMMEA District Band Auditions, and in the Golden Valley Conference. The numbers in the Leeton R-X Band grew during his time and the program is still strong today.
In 2007, Brad left Leeton to become the Director of Bands at the Kirksville R-III School District. Kirksville Band has a strong presence in the NEMMEA District Honor Band and Honorable Mention Band and in recent years, Kirksville has also been represented in the Missouri All-State Band. Kirksville students are highly involved in the MSHSAA District Solo and Ensemble Festival and the MSHSAA State Solo and Ensemble Festival. The Kirksville R-III Bands consistently earn Superior Ratings at the MSHSAA State Large Ensemble Festival.
Brad is very involved with the Kirksville R-III Teacher’s Association. He served as a building representative for a few years before serving as President in 2011 and 2016. In 2014 Brad was selected as the Kirksville R-III Teacher of the Year.
Brad has also been a MSHSAA Festival Manager for District 19 since 2008. He has managed District Solo and Ensemble Festival as well as the State Large Ensemble Festival at both Hannibal-LaGrange University and Kirksville High School. He also served on the MSHSAA Advisory Council from 2014-2017.
He is currently the Missouri Bandmasters Association President-Elect and All State Band Coordinator.
Within the Kirksville Community, Brad has served on the Kirksville Arts Center Board of Directors, is an Elder at Countryside Christian Church, and he is the founding director of the Kirksville Community Band.
Brad and his wife Stacie have been married since 2001 and have 3 children: Laura, Lillian, and Lee.
Karen HarrisonKaren Harrison started teaching in the Kirksville School District in 2002. Before this, she taught for the Palmyra School District for three years. Mrs. Harrison graduated from Chillicothe High School in 1993 and attended Truman State University; there she earned her BA and Masters in Education. Karen is married to Kevin and they have 2 children: Andrew and Madilyn.
Valorie BolleColor Guard
Valorie Bolle is the Color Guard Instructor with the Kirksville Marching Band. She was the music teacher at Linn County School District in Purdin, MO for six years. Besides with the color guard, Valorie has also been a Parents as Teachers Educator at the Kirksville Early Childhood Learning Center. She is now teaching Kindergarten through Second Grade Music at Kirksville Primary School.