About Key Poulan

Key Poulan is the program coordinator and brass arranger for the Santa Clara Vanguard. Key also serves as an arranger or composer for the Magic of Orlando, Spartans, Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets, Teal Sound, Allegiance Elite, Pride of the Lions, and Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps As the owner of Key Poulan Music, he has been recognized as one of the country’s top arrangers and composers in the area of contemporary marching band and has several concert band works to his credit. His marching band arrangements have won several national titles at the Bands of America Grand Nationals Championships. His works have won many state titles throughout the United States, and has been performed in Canada and Japan. His transcription of “The Promise of Living from Copland’s Tender Land” was extremely well received at the Bands of America National Concert Band Festival and his original work “Carnegie Fanfare and Dance was premiered in New York City’s Carnegie Hall.

Formal Education
Key Poulan graduated from Marshall High School in Marshall, Texas in 1980 and received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from East Texas State University (currently Texas A & M - Commerce) in 1985. Key had the opportunity of studying under many fine educators including: Gary Hill, Dave Ward, and Dr. Robert Houston. Key studied trombone under the late Dr. Neill Humfeld and composition with Dr. Ronald Yates at ETSU. Key also credits his success to his mentors: Philip Geiger, Bill Watson, Eddie Green, Dr. Lawrence Sutherland, Dr. Gary Gilroy and Dr. Jerry Payne.

Drum Corps Experience
Key was fortunate enough to audition for the Concord Blue Devils and be selected to the baritone line in 1983. As a fan of Wayne Downey’s electrifying writing style, Key spent time studying Wayne’s work and assisted him in lifting tunes during the 1983 Blue Devils season. Upon completion of his music degree in 1985, Key worked with long-time friend Glenn Floering with the SkyRyders Drum and Bugle Corps from Hutchinson, Kansas. Key joined the staff of the Cavaliers in 1986 where he served on both the brass and marching staffs. While working closely with the legendary drill designer and program coordinator, Steve Brubaker, Key developed several compositional and transitional musical moments during his 4 years with the Cavaliers staff. Key worked with many great drum corps brass arrangers during the late 1980s including Tim Saltzman of the Santa Clara Vanguard and Cavaliers, and Ken Snoeck of the Cavaliers. In 1992 and 1993, Key was the arranger for the Spirit of Atlanta and the Spirit of Georgia. Key judged music for DCI (Drum Corps International) 1990 through 2002. In 2003 Key arranged for Esperanza who landed their first DCI Division 2 World title.

Public School Teaching Experience

Key was the Director of Bands and Performing Arts Department Chairman at Buchanan High School in Clovis, California from 1991-2003. Key’s leadership in a fundamental approach to music at the Buchanan Educational Center has yielded several of the top musical ensembles in the State of California. Key’s first teaching experience was from 1985-87 as an assistant director at Westfield High School (Houston, TX). In 1987, Key moved to California to become the assistant director at Merced High School (Merced, CA) from 1987-88. He served as director of bands at Clovis High School (Clovis, CA) from 1988-91 before opening Buchanan High School (Clovis, CA) in 1991. Key left Buchanan High School in 2003 to pursue composing and arranging as a full time occupation.

Career Awards and Service
Key has received several awards as an educator such as the Sudler Order of Merit by the John Philip Sousa Foundation, Four-Time Classical Symphonic Band Winner by Down Beat magazine, and several Citations of Excellence by the National Band Association. In 2000, his Buchanan High School Wind Ensemble won the CMEA State Concert Band Championships. Key’s marching band at Buchanan High School has won its division 5 of the past 7 years at the WBA Marching Band Championships (1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002). In 1998 and 2002, the Buchanan High School Wind Ensemble was selected to perform at the California Band Director’s Association State conference. For the 2001 concert season, his wind ensemble ‘A’ and ‘B’ were both selected to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Esperanza Drum and Bugle Corps and the Hawthorne Caballeros All Age Corps won simultaneous World Championships in 2003 using Key Poulan’s arrangements and compositions.

Music Associations and Service Groups
Key is an active board member of Fresno-Madera Counties Music Educators Association and the Western Band Association. He was the presiding administrator of the San Joaquin Valley Color Guard and Percussion Review (SJVCGPR), San Joaquin Valley Jazz Festival (SJVJF), Fresno Color Guard Camp (FCCG), and the Golden State Tournament of Bands (GSTOB). He was the secretary of the Western Band Association (WBA), formerly the Western Scholastic Marching Band Conference (WSMBC). He is also an active member of the California Band Directors Association (CBDA), California Music Educators Association (CMEA), Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), American Schools Band Directors Association (ASBDA) Winter Guard International (WGI), International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE), the Music Educators National Conference (MENC), and the American Society of Composers, Arrangers, and Publishers (ASCAP).