Joshua Light
Director of Bands
Joshua Light currently serves as the Director of Bands of the Soddy-Daisy High School Band in Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee. Mr. Light is responsible for the direction of the Marching Trojans, 2 concert bands, jazz band, concert and indoor percussion ensembles, and winter guard.
Since becoming director in 2014, the marching band at Soddy-Daisy HS is a frequent class champion and finalist at many marching contests throughout the southeast including the USBands Southern States Championships. The band has participated in Bands of America Regionals and was the feature band in the Atlanta Children's Christmas Parade in 2015. The Wind Ensemble has received Superior Ratings at all ETSBOA Performance Assessment events and received the TBA Sweepstakes Award each year since 2014. The winter guard program has been a 3 time WGI Regional Finalist, and a WGI World Championship Semi-Finalist.
Mr. Light has been a band director in Tennessee since 2002. He received his Bachelor’s in Music Education from Tennessee Technological University in 2002 and his Master’s in Education in Educational Leadership from Union College in Barbourville, KY in 2008. He was a member of Cohort 22 of the Public Educational Foundation's Leadership Fellows program in 2020 and the Lead Program for Hamilton County Schools in 2023. Mr. Light began his career as Director of Bands at Church Hill and Surgoinsville Middle Schools in 2002 where he taught grades 6-8. In 2003, he became Director of Bands at Volunteer High School in Church Hill, TN where he taught until 2014.
Mr. Light’s professional affiliations include National Association for Music Education, East Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association, Tennessee Bandmasters Association, the National Education Association, American School Band Directors Association, and the Tennessee Education Association. He has served as a Mentor Teacher for Western Carolina University, The University of Tennessee Chattanooga, Southern Adventist University, Lee University, and the University of Tennessee Knoxville. He was selected as the Hawkins County Schools “Teacher of the Year” in 2010. Mr. Light was selected as a Quarterfinalist for the Grammy Music Educator of the Year award in 2020, 2021, and 2024. He also serves as a drill writer and program designer for many marching programs throughout the Southeast. Mr. Light currently serves as the Department Chair for Fine Arts at Soddy Daisy HS and as the Band Audition Chair for ETSBOA.
Since becoming director in 2014, the marching band at Soddy-Daisy HS is a frequent class champion and finalist at many marching contests throughout the southeast including the USBands Southern States Championships. The band has participated in Bands of America Regionals and was the feature band in the Atlanta Children's Christmas Parade in 2015. The Wind Ensemble has received Superior Ratings at all ETSBOA Performance Assessment events and received the TBA Sweepstakes Award each year since 2014. The winter guard program has been a 3 time WGI Regional Finalist, and a WGI World Championship Semi-Finalist.
Mr. Light has been a band director in Tennessee since 2002. He received his Bachelor’s in Music Education from Tennessee Technological University in 2002 and his Master’s in Education in Educational Leadership from Union College in Barbourville, KY in 2008. He was a member of Cohort 22 of the Public Educational Foundation's Leadership Fellows program in 2020 and the Lead Program for Hamilton County Schools in 2023. Mr. Light began his career as Director of Bands at Church Hill and Surgoinsville Middle Schools in 2002 where he taught grades 6-8. In 2003, he became Director of Bands at Volunteer High School in Church Hill, TN where he taught until 2014.
Mr. Light’s professional affiliations include National Association for Music Education, East Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association, Tennessee Bandmasters Association, the National Education Association, American School Band Directors Association, and the Tennessee Education Association. He has served as a Mentor Teacher for Western Carolina University, The University of Tennessee Chattanooga, Southern Adventist University, Lee University, and the University of Tennessee Knoxville. He was selected as the Hawkins County Schools “Teacher of the Year” in 2010. Mr. Light was selected as a Quarterfinalist for the Grammy Music Educator of the Year award in 2020, 2021, and 2024. He also serves as a drill writer and program designer for many marching programs throughout the Southeast. Mr. Light currently serves as the Department Chair for Fine Arts at Soddy Daisy HS and as the Band Audition Chair for ETSBOA.