Directors of the Niceville Band Program
Mr. Dan Wooten
Director of Bands
Mr. Wooten came to Niceville High School in the fall of 2003 after serving as Director of Bands at Lewis Middle School from 2001-2003. Prior to his appointment at Lewis, Mr. Wooten served as the Director of Publishing for Mars Music, Inc. He was Director of Bands at Colerain High School in Cincinnati, Ohio from 1990-99 and Director of Bands at Woodham High School from 1988-90. He started his career as the Assistant Director of Bands at Tate High School in Pensacola. He was Assistant Marching Band Director at the University of Louisville from 1984-88 where he also served as the Outreach Coordinator for the School of Music.
Mr. Wooten was a performing member (snare drum) with the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps (1979) and became a Percussion Staff member for the Corps from 1981-85 serving as Percussion Caption Head in 1985. In addition he has arranged for the percussion sections at the University of Southern Mississippi, the University of Louisville, and Louisiana State University. He has performed with the Louisville Orchestra, the Kentuckiana Brass and Percussion Ensemble, the Cincinnati Community Orchestra, the Pensacola Opera Orchestra, and the Pensacola Symphony.
Under his direction, Mr. Wooten has led the Eagle Pride Marching Band in performances in the Fiesta Bowl Parade, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, at Pearl Harbor, at halftime in the Superdome for the New Orleans Saints, and three appearances at the Tournament of Roses Parade – the most recent appearance being in 2024.
He has been a guest conductor and clinician nationwide and is sought after as a consultant for both Marching and Concert Bands.
Mr. Matthew Tenore
Associate Director of Bands
(& Basketball Band Director, Northwest Florida State College)
Mr. Tenore first interned at Niceville High School in 2017, and then was offered to reside as the Assistant Director for the following year. In addition to his time at Niceville, Mr. Tenore has served as the Director of Bands of Lincoln High School in Tallahassee, FL. During his tenure at Niceville, Tenore has aided in taking Niceville’s Big Band to the Swing Central Jazz Competition in Savannah, GA, the Wind Ensemble to the John Philip Sousa Festival in Washington, D.C., and the Eagle Pride Marching Band to the 135th Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, CA.
Mr. Tenore received his bachelors degree from the Florida State University in 2017. During his time at FSU, he was heavily involved with the FSU Marching Chiefs, serving as a Drum Major for the Chiefs for the 2014, 2015, and 2016 seasons. Mr. Tenoré also played trumpet in the Concert and Symphonic Band at FSU, and performed in the National Trumpet Competition with the FSU Gold Trumpet Ensemble.
In addition to his position at Niceville, Mr. Tenore also serves as the Basketball Band Director at the Northwest Florida State College. He has led the 90-piece pep band “Raider Brass” during Raiders Men’s and Women’s games since 2018.
Mr. Tenore is an active composer and arranger, and has arranged music for numerous school and university bands throughout Florida (including our own Eagle Pride, of course!). His arrangements have been featured on football fields, in the stands, and on the streets of Pasadena during our 2024 Rose Parade trip. Mr. Tenore is an active member of the Florida Bandmasters Association, Florida Music Educators Association, and the Kappa Kappa Psi Music Fraternity.
Mrs. Morgan Van Vliet
Assistant Director of Bands
Bio TBD