STAFF
Cynthia Church, Color Guard Director and Designer
Cynthia Church joined the Creekview Band program staff as the Color Guard Director in 2016. Since joining the staff, the Creekview Color Guard program has been one of Georgia’s most recognized color guard programs.
Her business, "Cynthia Church designs," focuses on performance wear costuming. Church has been commissioned for countless projects and has a unique style that speaks to the essence of choreographic as well as theatrical work. Along with running her own design business, in 2009 Church joined the staff at Emory University as the dance program’s Costume Designer. She has been a regular contributor to choreography, design, and seminar courses at Emory.
Cynthia resides in Canton George with her husband, Tim. Their two children, Julian and Madison, are grown so they are enjoying the quiet life of empty nesters along with their two dogs, Stella and Winston.
Mike Lynch, Percussion Director
Mike Lynch retired in 2016 after thirty-two years of teaching band and percussion in grades five through twelve. The last twenty-four years were spent at Simpson Middle School and Lassiter High School, both Cobb County Schools located in Marietta, Georgia. Mr. Lynch’s middle and high school percussion ensembles have performed at The Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference on seven different occasions, the Music for All Sandy Feldstein National Percussion Festival in 2000, 2002, 2010 and 2015, the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in 2005 and 2011, and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in 2007.
While Mr. Lynch was Director of Percussion at Lassiter, the marching band won the 1998 and 2002 Bands of America Grand National Championships and 12 Bands of America Regional Championships. The band also participated in the 1999, 2004 and 2010 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City and the 2001, 2005, 2013 and 2019 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California.
Mr. Lynch is co-author of “Field Level – The Ultimate Band Directors Guide to fielding the Ultimate Marching Percussion Section”, “Rudimental Cookbook” and “Just Desserts” all published by Row-Loff Publications. He is the director of the Southeastern Percussion Ensemble Symposium and is an educational endorser for Mapex, Majestic, Remo, Vic Firth, and Zildjian.
Dr. Kellen King, Percussion Instructor/Electronics
Dr. Kellen King is currently an Artist Affiliate at Georgia State University where he instructs the percussion studio with Dr. Stuart Gerber and Dr. Jeremy Muller. Prior to his appointment at GSU, he was Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Percussion Studies at Western Oregon University. Kellen has been published in Percussive Notes and has presented at OMEA in 2021 and 2022 in addition to performing at PASIC, TMEA, and MMC. He is currently a member of the Percussive Arts Society Music Technology Committee and has previously served as the Oregon PAS Chapter Secretary, winning the PAS Outstanding Chapter Award during his service. Kellen is an avid educator, researcher, and well-versed performer in classical and contemporary percussion, having spent most of his career focusing on solo, chamber, and electroacoustic music. As an educator, Kellen has previously instructed at Western Oregon University, Mercer University, The University of Texas at Austin, Ithaca College, and Cornell University.
Kellen has taught and arranged music at an array of music organizations across the United States; teaching elite competitive marching band and collegiate level performance and academic courses, in addition to being a featured guest artist and clinician at institutions across the country. During his education, he has studied with Dr. Thomas Burritt, Gordon Stout, Judy Moonert, Tony Edwards, Conrad Alexander, and Greg Evans.
Kellen earned his degrees from Western Michigan University (B.M. Music Education and Music Performance), Ithaca College (M.M. Percussion Performance), and The University of Texas at Austin (D.M.A. Percussion Performance). Kellen is an artist and clinician for Innovative Percussion, Black Swamp Percussion, Zildjian Cymbals, and Remo Inc.
