Alan Harkey Biography

Alan Harkey is the Coordinator of McKinney ISD Secondary School Instrumental Music Programs and Director of Bands at McKinney North High School in McKinney, TX. As a new school, the MNHS Band has earned Sweepstakes Awards (Division I) in Marching, Concert and Sight-reading competitions in it’s first two years of UIL participation as a Varsity program and advanced to the Area Marching Contest. He has served as a judge for UIL and invitational festivals and as a clinician for programs throughout the state. In 2005, Mr. Harkey was selected for Who’s Who Among Music Teachers in America.
Previously, Mr. Harkey was the Director of Bands at Cooper High School in Abilene, TX and adjunct low brass instructor at McMurry University in Abilene. Prior to accepting the position at Cooper, Mr. Harkey was the Assistant Band Director at Marcus High School in Flower Mound, TX. Under his direction, the marching band won many awards including 1st Place awards at the Carrollton Marching Festival, the UTA Marching Festival and Alternate to the UIL State Marching Contest from Area B. Previous to that, he was the head Band Director at DeLay Middle School in Lewisville and Associate Band Director at Killeen High School.

Mr. Harkey’s bands and jazz bands have consistently won Outstanding Band awards at festivals throughout the nation. Mr. Harkey received his Bachelor of Music degree from Texas Tech University and Master of Music degree from the University of Texas at Austin where he served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for Mr. Donald Knaub and was the lead trombonist in the UT Jazz Orchestra and Principal Trombone in the UT Symphony Orchestra. His former teachers include: Jim Sudduth, Keith Bearden, Dean Killion, Robert Deahl, Alan Shinn, Jerry Junkin, Robert Duke, Jeff Helmer, Louis Lane, Dennis Fisher, Eugene Corporon, Vern Kagarice and Don Lucas.

Mr. Harkey has performed as a trombonist with the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra, Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, Lubbock Jazz Orchestra, American Wind Symphony, the Fifth Dimension, Doc Severinsen, Florence Henderson, Bill Watrous, Phil Wilson, Marvin Stamm and other jazz artists as well as numerous free lance music jobs in Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and Lubbock. Mr. Harkey is currently a member of Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, International Association of Jazz Educators and the International Trombone Association. He is married to Terri, a former band director and currently a private saxophone teacher. They have two sons, Christopher and Andrew.