Parents and Students,

Thank you for a great musical school year.  We look forward to seeing you in the fall.  Keep practicing to keep your music skills sharp.  

We look forward to seeing at Orientation and in the classroom this fall semester. 

Please look at the Parent Communication to see the schedules for Music and Band Classes for this year.

Meadow School: "At MEadow Success Begins With ME."

Kevin Kaufman began his musical career at an early age when his parents started him on the piano. When he was in elementary school, he was introduced to band and began playing the clarinet.  Upon graduating from Northeastern High School in Elizabeth City, NC, he attended East Carolina University, in Greenville, NC. 

At East Carolina, he studied music education and clarinet with Ms. Deborah Chodacki. He graduated with a Bachelors of Music in Education in December of 1986.  After graduation, Mr. Kaufman traveled to New York State to study at Ithaca College to attain a Masters of Music in Clarinet Performance and studied clarinet with Dr. Michael Galvan and Robert Schmidt.  During his time at Ithaca College, he chose to leave college and join the band program in the United States Marine Corps. 

While in the band program of the Marine Corps, he traveled and performed at many venues throughout the United States, Bermuda and Japan.  Throughout these travels, he performed for and met many dignitaries, Presidents and movie stars that have enlightened his career.  Some of the most interesting people that Mr. Kaufman met are Bob Hope, Chuck Norris, President Ronald Reagan, Merv Griffin, Bradford Marsalis and Jay Leno, Mel Tormé, and the Astronauts of the Apollo 11 Capsule.

During his time in the Marine Corps, his first duty station was the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, CA. As he served in San Diego, he took auditions to continue his education in order to attain a Masters of Music in Clarinet Performance at San Diego State University, where he studied clarinet with Dr. Marion Liebowitz. Within this time he also had the opportunity to advance his musical abilities through studying clarinet with both Cheryl and Frank Renk, the Principal clarinetists of the San Diego Symphony and San Francisco Symphony, respectively. 

As he began his last year at SDSU, Mr. Kaufman was sent to Okinawa, Japan to serve with the III Marine Expeditionary Force Band; during that year in Japan, he traveled across the island of Okinawa, Guam and mainland Japan, performing with the III MEF band. He also had the opportunity to solo with the group and performed Carl Maria von Weber’s Concertino for clarinet and band. 

Upon leaving Okinawa, Japan, to return to the United States, he was transferred back to San Diego, CA, and resumed his studies at SDSU.  While attending San Diego State, he performed for many organizations, with SDSU and the surrounding community, including the SDSU Symphonic Orchestra and San Diego Youth Symphony where he performed as the principal clarinetist. He graduated from SDSU in May of 1994.

He served as the principal clarinetist for the Barton College/Wilson Symphony, the Jim and Joan Hemby Endowed Clarinet Chair, for a period of fifteen years.  He has also been a concert soloist with the symphony and guest artist at the University of Mount Olive. As a dedicated music educator, he has extended his education by studying music education at Boston University.

Currently, Mr. Kaufman is the Director of Bands and Music Specialist for K-5 grades at Meadow School in Benson, NC. In addition, he has taught as an Adjunct Music Professor to the Department of Music at Mount Olive College, where he taught private instrumental music lessons and instrumental music classes to educational majors.  Mr. Kaufman has retired from military service, USMC and the NCARNG, after serving the country proudly for twenty years. 

I am excited about working with the core teachers in the middle school and integrating the music lessons together with them to show the students the relationship and relevance of the subject content.  I believe this will both enhance and broaden the minds of the students to bridge the gap and connection between core and elective classes.