How one local KC high school band leader has been directing students to crescendo

Carrie Epperson conducting her band at graduation. // Photo courtesy of Carrie Epperson

Carrie Epperson was the North Kansas City High School Head Band Director. But she isn’t just any average band director—She serves to nurture and grow every student that comes through her classes, helping many pursue a career in music that stretches further than the four walls of her classroom.

While the 2023-24 school year was her last at North Kansas City, she will start a new journey at Liberty Middle School beginning this fall. She felt that she had reached the end of what she could achieve at the high school level, but felt that she hadn’t fully realized the potential of the students. She hopes that working with middle school kids will help her achieve this satisfactions.

Something that former students of Epperson mentioned really stuck out to me—She treats her students as her children. She does the due diligence of what any mother or father hopes that a teacher of their child would carry out.

“We don’t just see them for one year,” Epperson says. “We get them for multiple years, so you really see how a kid grows and you become a much larger part of their life. I’ve become ingrained in some kids’ lives. I’ve met families, been invited to birthday parties. You really do develop a community. I think that’s given me more of a family than I thought I was ever going to have.”

Cameron Carney—Northgate Middle School Orchestra Director and North Kansas City High School Assistant Orchestra Director—was a former student of Epperson’s. While Carney graduated high school in 2011, Epperson’s impact on his life remains to this day.

Carrie Epperson conducting her band at the Kauffman Center last year. // Photo Courtesy of Carrie Epperson.

“Without a doubt, her influence on me during my time at North Kansas City and throughout my college experience, she served as a mentor to me,” Carney says. “Her impact has been remarkable. She hasn’t just inspired me as a musician or as a teacher, she’s inspired me as a person. Not to just strive for excellence in what I do, but to build quality relationships along the way.”

Carney learned through Epperson’s band that his method of changing the world could be through music. The transformative power of performances and tracks will be how he makes his mark.

“When I was in Carrie’s band in high school, this felt very true,” says Carney. “I always felt that music has a lot of power—more so than any individual has on their own. It felt to me that if I wanted to have an impact on the world, the way I could do it was using music.”When faced with the challenge of the COVID, Epperson brought a needed light to other teachers. In what were some of the darkest days for many, she inspired them to continue.

“One thing that made a huge difference in my teaching was in 2020,” Carney says. “When we re-opened the schools and only had students every few days, Epperson would send out a weekly email. They were just things that she had learned or just a little inspiration to the other teachers. She needed the inspiration herself, and she knew that if she needed it, others did too. She’ll never know how much those emails meant to the people who took the time to read them.”

Epperson claimed that there eight of her former students are now band directors, and 15 to 20 others are amateur or professional musicians. But there are currently around 12, including Carney, who are currently music educators.

Though she wants the best for her students, no matter where they go, she doesn’t care if they pursue a career in music or teaching.

“I’ve never asked my kids to go out there and be music teachers or symphony players,” Epperson says. “All I ask is that they do their best. If they love it, right? If not, at least they tried. I don’t care if they fix refrigerators for a living. They’re still doing an amazing thing and they found joy in something.”

Epperson is what every student looks for in a teacher and embodies what every teacher should strive to be—a mentor, leader, and, more importantly, a friend to all who step foot inside her music hall. 

“There’s so much I want people to know about her,” Carney says. “She is incredibly giving and she will give more of herself to anyone who needs it, even if they never ask. She is easily one of the most thoughtful and kind people. She has this ability to empower others around her. She gives people power to be who they need to be.”