I am Franklin Pugh, a professional music composer, educator and performer with over thirty years of experience. I have an established record of success with custom arranging, original compositions, ensemble development, and active performance in various genres and styles.…

Franklin Pugh

I am Franklin Pugh, a professional music composer, educator and performer with over thirty years of experience. I have an established record of success with custom arranging, original compositions, ensemble development, and active performance in various genres and styles.…

Available to hire

I am Franklin Pugh, a professional music composer, educator and performer with over thirty years of experience.

I have an established record of success with custom arranging, original compositions, ensemble development, and active performance in various genres and styles.

See more

Skills

Experience Level

Music Video
Intermediate

Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Composer/Arranger/Owner at Five Stone Music
September 3, 2007 - Present
-Publish original instrumental works through J.W.Pepper’s MyScore program. -Publish instrumental arrangements of copyrighted songs through the ArrangeMe program at Sheet Music Plus. -Original song (Banner Yet Wave) nominated for consideration as Virginia State Song in 2009. -I have composed music for public school bands, college bands, commercial jingles, and instructional videos.
Band Director at Surry Central High School & Central Middle School
August 4, 2025 - January 5, 2026
-Arranged music for marching band show (Fall 2005) -Arranged 50% of music for Christmas concert in grades 6-12 (December 2005) -Selected and instructed music programming for marching/concert programs -Drafted curriculum changes designed to maximize recruiting/retention. -Initiated adoption of online parent/student communication platform. -Established recruiting approach resulting in projected 80% enrollment increase in high school marching band program. -Designed and taught curriculum for over one hundred band students in grades 6-12.
Band Director at Wytheville Community College
December 31, 2013 - June 4, 2025
- Composed original works for public performances - “It’s Got To Be Christmas” (Fall 2024) - “Appalachian Sunrise” (Spring 2024) - “Beowulf Fantasy, Mvt.II: Grendel At The Hart” (Spring 2023) - “Beowulf Fantasy, Mvt.I: Beowulf Sails To Heorot” (Spring 2019) - “The Banner Yet Wave” (Spring 2015) - Planned/directed concert programs for 50-80 member concert band - Coordinated/expanded concert events within the college service region - Integrated digital and electronic media into concert presentations - Collaborated with donors, administrators, guest composer to commission original memorial piece -Initiated public relations and recruiting program with media department. - Coordinated/expanded concert events within the college service region. - Established professional development credit program for local teachers.
Director of Bands at Fort Chiswell High School and Fort Chiswell Middle School
June 30, 1996 - June 1, 2025
- Selected and instructed music programming for concert band, marching band, pep band, jazz band - Arranged music for 23 marching shows - Arranged and composed for various marching band, concert band, and jazz band performances - Initiated student sound engineer program. - Served as grant writer/administrator and co-founder of Junior Mountain Empire Honors Band - Arranged music for Mountain Emprire Honors Band Directors Brass Band - Updated/expanded percussion equipment and technology through grants and other sources. -
Staff Composer at Woodson Publishing
January 2, 2019 - January 31, 2020
*Contracted to write concert band works at various difficulty levels

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and Music in the Liberal Arts at Elon University
August 1, 1987 - May 1, 1992
I double-majored in Music Education and Music Performance with an emphasis in bass trombone. While at Elon University, I took classes in music theory, jazz improvisation, and composition/arranging. I performed with the jazz band, orchestra, concert band, musical theater, jazz quartet, choir, and percussion ensembles.
Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and Music in the Liberal Arts at Elon University
January 1, 1987 - January 1, 1992
Teacher Recertification Courses at Wytheville Community College
January 1, 1996 - January 1, 2013

Qualifications

Fundamentals of Communication
July 1, 2025 - January 29, 2026
Business Communication Masterclass
July 1, 2025 - January 29, 2026

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Education, Professional Services, Non-Profit Organization, Other
    paper Beowulf Fantasy, Mvt.I: Beowulf Sails To Heorot

    Beowulf Fantasy, Mvt.I is the first in a series of three movements of concert band pieces all connected to the Beowulf poem. The first movement is intended to establish the heroic nature of Beowulf as he sails to the aid of King Hrothgar of the Danes.

    This video is a live performance of the piece by the Winds of the Mountain Empire. The conductor is Dr. Donald Sorah.

    paper Launchpad 9

    I wrote Launchpad 9 as an experiment in electronic music using Finale music notation software and Cubase LE audio software. I edited the video material to match my original music, but all the video content is free use material created by AA VFX on YouTube.

    This material was not used for professional applications.

    paper The Banner Yet Wave

    I am the original songwriter The Banner Yet Wave.

    I partnered with Jerry Stone to have the orchestrations and backing track cut in Nashville and one other studio. Jerry sang the lead vocal and used the song (with my permission) as the title track of a cd project he had been working on at the time.

    The song caught the attention of a Virginia congressional representative, and it was submitted for consideration as the state song of Virginia. The reference link for that bill is here: http://www.richmondsunlight.com/bill/2009/hb2554/fulltext/

    The song was not selected by the legislature, but it did make a listing on a country music chart.