Aug. 30—MIDDLEBURY — Northridge Raiders has a new band director. Derek Varner replaces Brad Zook after years of service to the Middlebury Community Schools band community.

A Middlebury native, Varner's experiences in band began in 2010 at sixth-grade band tryouts. Coming from a band family, Varner imagined himself playing in the percussion and was in a line of students who were to audition. He left the line of students for a bathroom break and upon his return the percussion tryouts had ended. He ended up with his father's trumpet in hand — a trumpet still in use today.

Varner credited Zook and middle school band director Bryce Cone with his developmental experiences. Both were directors at the district when Varner attended. He was a member of the pep band, jazz band, concert band, symphonic band, and in the Show Choir back-up band

Nearing the end of his high school experience he was considering what to major in in college. His focus soon narrowed to sports casting as a career choice. His analysis of the commonalities of successful sports casters included that most were athletic and with a thriving athletic past. Neither of these attributes had been a component of Varner's past, so he returned to his passion for band.

Varner enrolled at Ball State University in 2017 as a music education major. He auditioned and was accepted into the Ball State Band. His first two years at BSU had a focus on education and then he joined the BSU Marching Band in the last two years. He became a first chair trumpet player and a section leader in 2020. The pandemic required that the "sectionals" be held via Zoom.

Upon graduation in 2021, Varner returned to Middlebury, where he was employed at the Essenhaus Restaurant and by the Middlebury Community Schools. He worked evenings and weekends with the high school band and Show Choir directors. He applied for the band director position when Zook announced his retirement at the conclusion of the 2021-2022 school year. Varner shared that during the interview process that it was advantageous for him to know the program and the awesome students and staff.

Varner's program goals include "no changes in direction, but to improve each week, to have a good sound, to look good during the performance(s), and to develop school pride within the band." He also wants to grow the band member numbers to offset the pandemic impact in participation.