Tim Hendrix, Director of Bands
Email:
thendrix@bentonvillek12.org
Timothy Hendrix is in his 18th year of teaching and currently serves in his 11th year as Director of Bands at Bentonville High School in Bentonville, Arkansas. He conducts the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band and oversees the nationally recognized Bentonville PRIDE Marching Band. Prior to his tenure in Bentonville, Mr. Hendrix taught at Jonesboro High School, Paragould High School, and Stuttgart Junior High School.
Under his leadership, Mr. Hendrix’s ensembles have been consistently recognized for their musical sensitivity, innovation, and artistry. The Bentonville High School Wind Ensemble was selected to perform at the 79th Annual Midwest Clinic and was a Premiere Ensemble at the 2019 National Concert Band Festival, where they became the first high school ensemble to perform Jim Stephenson’s Symphony No. 2, “Voices.” The ensemble was also selected as the ASBOA Class 7A State Honor Band in both 2022 and 2024.
The Bentonville PRIDE Marching Band is a 10-time Bands of America Super Regional Finalist and Medalist, a 3-time Grand Nationals Semi-Finalist (2016, 2018, 2023), and a two-time Grand Nationals Finalist in 2023, 2025—the first and only band from Arkansas to achieve this honor. The ensemble is also a 8-time (7 consecutive) Arkansas 7A State Marching Champion and was named a Sudler Shield Award Winner by the John Philip Sousa Foundation in 2023.
Mr. Hendrix has been recognized with several honors, including Bentonville High School Fine Arts Teacher of the Year (2017,2025), the Phi Beta Mu Arkansas Young Band Director of the Year Award (2015), and Region 8 Teacher of the Year (2013). He is an active member of the Arkansas Bandmasters Association, ASBOA, and Phi Beta Mu.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Instrumental Music Education and a Master’s Degree in Education from Arkansas State University. Before beginning his teaching career, Mr. Hendrix served as a French horn instrumentalist in the United States Navy Band, stationed at Pearl Harbor.
In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Mr. Hendrix is a frequent clinician and presenter, having led professional development sessions for music educators on topics including leadership, program culture, and building sustainable instructional systems.
Mr. Hendrix is married to Nakeli Hendrix. Together, they have two children: Sophia, a clarinetist and aspiring educator at University of Missouri Kansas City, and Dean, a horn player who is active in robotics and STEM competitions.
Philip Shewmaker, Associate Director of Bands
Email:
pshewmaker@bentonvillek12.org
Philip Shewmaker received his bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Central Arkansas in 2010. Since that time Mr. Shewmaker has been active as a music educator in the state of Arkansas. Prior to his position as associate director of bands in Bentonville he has served as a band director at Southside Bee Branch Schools, Booneville Schools, and Batesville High School. Under his direction, the band programs enjoyed growth and consistent superior ratings.
At Bentonville, Mr. Shewmaker directs the Symphonic Winds, Concert Band, and Jazz Band. Under his direction, these ensembles have enjoyed continued success. In April of 2021, the Bentonville Jazz Band was named the winner of the Basically Basie Competition.
Mr. Shewmaker was the 2020 Bentonville High School Fine Arts Teacher of the Year and the 2017 Rotary Club Teacher of the Year.
When not working with bands Mr. Shewmaker loves to spend time with his family. His wife Sally and two daughters Emma and Amelia always make life fun and interesting.
Taylor Cotroneo , Director of Percussion
Email:
tcotroneo@bentonvillek12.org
Cotroneo joins Bentonville Schools after serving as the Director of Percussion for Siloam Springs Schools for six years. During his tenure, the percussion program set multiple school records at both the junior high and senior high levels for student participation and achievement in Region, All-State, and fall percussion events. He also established a percussion ensemble program that performed annually at collegiate percussion festivals.
Cotroneo earned his bachelor’s degree from Arkansas Tech University, where he performed in the Wind Ensemble throughout his college career. He also served as principal percussionist and was captain of the Band of Distinction Drumline for three years.
His marching arts experience includes performing in the front ensemble with the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps from 2013–2015 and returning to perform with the 2024 Crossmen Alumni Corps. Cotroneo also has previous ties to the Bentonville band program, having completed an internship with Bentonville Schools and later serving as a front ensemble technician during the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
Outside of music, Cotroneo enjoys PC gaming, exercising, playing his instruments, tackling home projects, and walking his dog. He and his wife have been married for nine years and are excited to both be part of Bentonville Schools, where she serves as the Choir Director at Grimsley Junior High. They share their home with their miniature dachshund, Millie.
Shea Pierce, Adjunct Instructor
Shea Pierce is a freelance trombonist and educator based in Northwest Arkansas. He has enjoyed a wide range of experiences in both performance and education. Shea earned his degree in Music Education from Murray State University in 2016, graduating summa cum laude. Following graduation, he pursued Jazz Studies at the University of North Texas, where he performed with the Two O’Clock Lab Band and the award-winning UNT U-Tubes Jazz Trombone Ensemble.
As a performer, Shea is active in the local music scene, frequently playing and recording with jazz, funk, and salsa ensembles. His versatility and artistry have made him a sought-after collaborator across genres.
Shea’s teaching career has been equally diverse and impactful. He has led successful trombone studios in Murray, KY, Keller, TX, and most recently Northwest Arkansas, where his students have consistently earned All-Region and All-State honors, with many continuing their studies on low brass scholarships. He has served as an adjunct instructor, a clinician for All-Region Jazz Bands, and a mentor in the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas program. Additionally, Shea has contributed to numerous marching band programs across the region as a clinician, choreographer, designer, and judge, drawing on his background as an alumnus of Carolina Crown and his drum corps teaching experience.
Shea currently serves full time with the Bentonville Bands, his “home district,” where he assists with the concert bands, jazz bands, and the Bentonville Pride Marching Band. Beyond his professional work, he is a proud husband to his wife, Emily, and father to their son, Sonny.