Staff
Secaida Howell is the Director of Bands at Chapin Middle School where he oversees all aspects of the band program including the Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Percussion Ensemble, Leadership Program, CMS Color Guard and Assistant Director of The Chapin High School “Pride of the Midlands” Marching Band. He earned his Master of Music Education from the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia where his research focused on conducting expressivity and student engagement in the music education classroom. He earned his Bachelor of Music Education from the University of South Carolina. During his time at USC, he was a member of the USC University Band, USC Symphonic Winds, and The Carolina Band. He is also Principal Saxophonist of the Carolina Wind Symphony which was a featured ensemble at the SCMEA In-Service Conference in 2020. As a conductor, he has participated in conducting symposia and master classes led by Dr. Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin, Director of Wind Band Studies at Penn State University and Mr. Richard Floyd, State Director of Music Emeritus at The University of Texas at Austin.
Under his direction, the Chapin Middle School Bands has experienced lots of growth both in excellence and enrollment. During his tenure, the concert and symphonic bands have consistently earned ratings of Superior with Distinction in SCBDA Concert Performance Assessment receiving the SCBDA Outstanding Performance Award. Annually, they place significant numbers of students in the SCBDA Region 2 and All-State Bands and have student representation in the SC Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and the SC Governor's School for the Arts & Humanities summer program. Students annually receive Superior Solo and Ensemble Performance Assessment ratings as well. The Chapin Middle School band was also selected to be a part of the "Consortium for High Quality Band Literature" premiering Moonlit Dreams by Joshua V. Hinkel in 2019.
His professional affiliations include the National Band Association, the National Association for Music Education, the South Carolina Band Directors Association, where he serves as an elected representative of the Marching Band Committee, the South Carolina Music Educators Association, the North American Saxophone Alliance, and the Carolina Winter Ensemble Association.
Under his direction, the Chapin Middle School Bands has experienced lots of growth both in excellence and enrollment. During his tenure, the concert and symphonic bands have consistently earned ratings of Superior with Distinction in SCBDA Concert Performance Assessment receiving the SCBDA Outstanding Performance Award. Annually, they place significant numbers of students in the SCBDA Region 2 and All-State Bands and have student representation in the SC Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and the SC Governor's School for the Arts & Humanities summer program. Students annually receive Superior Solo and Ensemble Performance Assessment ratings as well. The Chapin Middle School band was also selected to be a part of the "Consortium for High Quality Band Literature" premiering Moonlit Dreams by Joshua V. Hinkel in 2019.
His professional affiliations include the National Band Association, the National Association for Music Education, the South Carolina Band Directors Association, where he serves as an elected representative of the Marching Band Committee, the South Carolina Music Educators Association, the North American Saxophone Alliance, and the Carolina Winter Ensemble Association.