I’m Franklin Pugh, a composer, arranger, band director, and performer with more than thirty years of experience creating music for both the stage and the classroom. Based in Wytheville, Virginia, I write and arrange original works, develop ensemble and marching band repertoire, and contribute to performances through active musicianship. Alongside my composing and arranging work, I’ve served in leadership roles for school bands and community ensembles, and I continue to publish music through major score platforms. I’m also a hands-on audio and design user, working with tools like Audacity and Finale to bring ideas from rehearsal drafts to polished scores and ready-to-perform parts.

FRANKLIN PUGH

I’m Franklin Pugh, a composer, arranger, band director, and performer with more than thirty years of experience creating music for both the stage and the classroom. Based in Wytheville, Virginia, I write and arrange original works, develop ensemble and marching band repertoire, and contribute to performances through active musicianship. Alongside my composing and arranging work, I’ve served in leadership roles for school bands and community ensembles, and I continue to publish music through major score platforms. I’m also a hands-on audio and design user, working with tools like Audacity and Finale to bring ideas from rehearsal drafts to polished scores and ready-to-perform parts.

Next availability:
September 23, 2026

I’m Franklin Pugh, a composer, arranger, band director, and performer with more than thirty years of experience creating music for both the stage and the classroom. Based in Wytheville, Virginia, I write and arrange original works, develop ensemble and marching band repertoire, and contribute to performances through active musicianship.

Alongside my composing and arranging work, I’ve served in leadership roles for school bands and community ensembles, and I continue to publish music through major score platforms. I’m also a hands-on audio and design user, working with tools like Audacity and Finale to bring ideas from rehearsal drafts to polished scores and ready-to-perform parts.

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Experience Level

Expert
Expert
Expert
Intermediate
Intermediate

Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Independent Music Arranger at Windish Entertainment
February 1, 2026 - April 1, 2026
Arranged music for specific instrumental and vocal ensembles, adapting assigned songs across pop, disco, rock, and jazz styles for performance needs.
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 Surry Central High and Central Middle Schools
August 1, 2025 - January 1, 2026
Arranged music for a marching band show for the Fall season, and arranged approximately half of the program for a grades 6–12 Christmas concert.
Staff Composer at Woodson Publishing
January 2, 2019 - January 31, 2020
*Contracted to write concert band works at various difficulty levels
Band Director at Wytheville Community College
January 1, 2014 - June 1, 2025
Composed original works for public performances, including seasonal and longer-form pieces: “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), and “The Banner Yet Wave” (Spring 2015).
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.
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.
Composer/Arranger/Owner at Five Stone Music (ASCAP)
September 1, 2007 - Present
Publish original instrumental works and copyrighted arrangements through major score platforms, including J.W. Pepper’s MyScore and Sheet Music Plus’s ArrangeMe. Original work (“Banner Yet Wave”) received nomination consideration as a Virginia State Song in 2009.
Director of Bands at Fort Chiswell High and Middle Schools
July 1, 1996 - June 1, 2025
Arranged and composed for marching band, concert band, and jazz band performances, including arranging music for 23 marching shows across multiple school years.
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. -

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
Bachelor’s Degree (Music Education; Music in the Liberal Arts) at Elon University
January 1, 1987 - January 1, 1992
Teacher Recertification Courses (Computer and music classes) 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
Certificate: Fundamentals of Communication
July 1, 2025 - September 9, 2026
Certificate: Business Communication Masterclass
January 11, 2030 - September 9, 2026

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Education, Professional Services, Non-Profit Organization, Other
    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.

    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.

    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.