Mike Aymett
A veteran teacher of 24 years, Dr. Aymett has spent the past 20 years as band director with the Riverdale Band. A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, Mike earned the Bachelor of Music and Master of Arts degrees from Middle Tennessee State University and a Doctorate in Education from Carson-Newman University.
As a saxophonist, Dr. Aymett performs in numerous styles, from classical to latin and jazz. Mike has previously taught in Nashville and at Mt. Pleasant High School, where he served as Director of Bands for three years, teaching grades 5-12. During his tenure at these schools, students distinguished themselves in both concert and marching performances.
Professionally, Dr. Aymett has served as coordinator for the Rutherford County Honor Bands, chairman for the MTSBOA Honor Bands, Performing Group Auditions Chair for the TMEA Conference, MTSBOA Executive Board, and the MTSU Band of Blue Club Board of Directors. He was Equipment Chairperson for the 2000 & 2001 TMEA Conference, and served on the host committees for the 2002 National MENC Conference and 2009 ASBDA Conference in Nashville, TN.
Dr. Aymett is a member of the Tennessee Music Education Association, National Association for Music Education, Tennessee Bandmasters Association, National Band Association, Phi Beta Mu International School Bandmaster Fraternity, the American School Band Directors Association, and is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity.
Matthew Crossley
Mr. Crossley joins the Riverdale Band after previously serving as Band Director at Siegel Middle School. He also served as Riverdale Co-Director 2012-2017. Prior to joining Rutherford County Schools, he served as Director of Bands at Sunset Middle School in Brentwood, TN from 2007-2009. At Sunset Middle School, Crossley implemented an active jazz band and private lesson program, along with receiving consistent superior and excellent ratings at concert festivals.
Recently completing graduate studies in Kansas City, Matthew earned a Masters degree in tuba performance at the Conservatory of Music and Dance at the University of Missouri - Kansas City. While attending the Conservatory, Matthew held the tuba Fellowship position in the UMKC Graduate Fellowship Brass Quintet, an ensemble devoted to performing a diverse selection of literature, and performing educational outreach performances. The quintet competed in a number of national and international competitions, which included an appearance as an international finalist in the 2010 Coleman Chamber Music Competition in Pasadena, CA, and semi-finalist in the 2010 Music Teachers National Association Chamber Music Competition held in Boulder, CO. Matthew performed at the 2010 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic as a member of the Conservatory Wind Symphony under the direction of Steven D. Davis.
Matthew earned a Bachelors of Music degree in Instrumental Music Education from the School of Music at Middle Tennessee State University. Matthew served as principal tuba in the MTSU Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and was a four-year member of the Band of Blue. In 2005, Matthew performed throughout South Korea with the MTSU Wind Ensemble.
Being an active performer/teacher in the Middle Tennessee and Kansas City area for several years, Matthew served as Principal tuba/Production Manager for the Murfreesboro Symphony Orchestra for two seasons, and has also performed with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Heritage Philharmonic (MO), Missouri Brass Quintet, First Class Brass, and the Nashville Philharmonic. Matthew is a founding member of the Nashville Arts Project. NAP is a chamber music ensemble devoted to performing a wide variety of literature for brass and actively commissioning new works for brass chamber ensembles. In 2016, Matthew served on the brass faculty at the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Performing Arts at MTSU. Crossley was also a performing member of The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps ( Rosemont, IL). Matthew’s teachers include Thomas Stein, Gilbert Long, David Loucky, Michael Arndt, Joseph Stegemann, and Prentiss Hobbs.
Matthew is a member of the Middle Tennessee State Band and Orchestra Association, Professional Teachers of Tennessee, and the International Tuba Euphonium Association.
Band Staff
Amanda Jones
Amanda Jones joined the Riverdale Band staff in the fall of 2010 and shortly thereafter joined the science faculty at RHS. In addition to her classroom duties, Ms. Jones oversees the Color Guard and Winter Guard program at Riverdale. Under her expert instruction, Guard members have achieved at an extremely high level, earning the Gold Medal at the 2017 and 2019 SCGC Championships.
Ms. Jones is also the Director of the independent class Eklipse Winterguard.
Caleb Littleton
Caleb Littleton is a music teacher and percussionist in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He was a music specialist at Salem Elementary from 2019-2022 and will serve as the commercial music teacher and percussion director for Riverdale High School. As a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, he has previously taught Western Kentucky University‘s Big Red Marching Band Drumline, Tullahoma High School Drumline, Rockvale High School Drumline, and Stewart’s Creek High School Percussion. His musical interests include playing drum set, marching percussion, concert percussion, and music technology. He can be found regularly playing drums for LifePoint Church where he serves as a deacon with his wife Mikaela. Outside of music, he spends his time with his puppy, Gracie, and loves to learn new hobbies like speed cubing.
