Brandon, South Dakota, located seven miles east of Sioux Falls, SD, is the home of Brandon Valley High School, which serves the communities of Brandon and Valley Springs.

Brandon Valley High School provides a comprehensive band program that serves over 170 students.  The main performing ensembles include a symphonic band, two concert bands, two jazz bands, two pep bands, and a 171 member marching band, known as the "Marching Lynx".

The Brandon Valley High School Symphonic Band and Red and Black Concert Bands present three concerts each year, performing the best of grade 3, 4, 5 and 6 concert band literature. For the past 14 consecutive years, the Symphonic Band has received superior ratings at the South Dakota Region/State music contest and has been invited to perform for the South Dakota Bandmaster’s Conference on three separate occasions. Both jazz bands regularly perform and compete in South Dakota and Minnesota and have earned numerous awards at festivals held at the University of South Dakota, Huron University, and Augustana College.

The Marching Lynx have a rich history of performance excellence in the upper mid-west. During the past 22 years over 300 awards and trophies have been earned in competitions in South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa. The band has also traveled extensively with performances in the Portland Rose Festival Parade in Portland, Oregon (1985), the Contest of Champions in Orlando, Florida (1987), the Bicentennial Anniversary of Washington, D.C. (1991), the Hollywood Christmas Parade in Hollywood, California (1995), Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City (1998), and the Fiesta Bowl National Band Championship and Parade in Phoenix, Arizona (2002).  Additional trips have included performances in Winnipeg, Manitoba; Kansas City, Missouri; Chicago, Illinois;  and Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Lynx have also performed at a Minnesota Vikings football game and for former President Bill Clinton.  The Lynx made a return trip to the Hollywood Christmas Parade in November 2006 and also competed in the "Bands at the Bowl" competition at the Hollywood Bowl, where they were awarded first place and received caption awards for General Effect and Music Performance.

Robert Goheen

Bob Goheen is in his 26th year as director of bands at Brandon Valley High School. Under his direction the concert bands, jazz bands, and marching band have consistently received awards and superior ratings at music competitions in the tri-state area. In recent years the Brandon Valley High School marching band has performed and competed in Orlando, Florida, Portland, Oregon, Washington, D.C., and New York at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.  Mr. Goheen directs the Symphonic band, Red Concert band, and Jazz I at the high school level.  He also directs the Valley Springs Elementary fifth grade band in addition to serving as Assistant Director for the Marching Lynx.

Educated at Minnesota State University in Mankato, Minnesota, Mr. Goheen received his Bachelor of Science degree in music education and his Master of Music degree in percussion performance. Before coming to Brandon Valley he taught for nine years in Minnesota. In 1993 he was recognized by the Phi Beta Mu Music Fraternity as the Outstanding Band Director in South Dakota. In 1998 he was named the Teacher of the Year in the Brandon Valley school district. He currently holds memberships in the Music Educators National Conference, Phi Beta Mu music fraternity, and the South Dakota Bandmasters Association, where he serves on the Board of Directors and is a past president.  Mr. Goheen is active as a clinician and adjudicator, working with elementary, middle school, and high school students throughout the tri-state area.

Kevin Kessler

A native of Luverne, Minnesota, Kevin Kessler is in his tenth year on the band staff at Brandon Valley. He received his bachelor of music education degree from South Dakota State University in 1998, and his master of music in conducting from the American Band College of Southern Oregon University in 2004. Kevin serves as the director of the Marching Lynx, Jazz II, and the Black Concert Band at the high school. He is also the director of the seventh grade band at the middle school. The seventh grade band was invited to perform at the South Dakota Music Educator’s Convention in February 2002.

Bruce Wildes

Born in Wabasha Minnesota, Bruce T. Wildes is in his 34th year of teaching at Brandon Valley.  Bruce graduated from St. Felix High School in Wabasha, and received his B.S. in Music Education from Winona State College, Winona, Minnesota. He holds a Masters in Music Education from the University of South Dakota. Prior to college Bruce spent three years in the United States Marine Corps, two years in the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Band at San Diego, California, and one year with the III Marine Division Band and Marine “Reactionary Force” in DaNang, Vietnam. Before coming to Brandon Bruce taught two years in Chatfield, Minnesota, and two years in Riceville Iowa. He is a member of the South Dakota Bandmasters and has chaired the Grade School Contest at Brandon for 30 years. At Brandon Valley Middle School Bruce is responsible for lessons and rehearsals of the 6^th and 8^th grade bands, as well as the middle school jazz band, and is also an assistant director of the of the Marching Lynx.

2007 Marching Lynx Staff:

Director- Kevin Kessler
Assistant Director- Bob Goheen, Bruce Wildes
Color guard Coordinator - Chelsea Boscaljon
Drumline Coordinator - Mike Hart
Percussion Technicians - Peter Rice, Mike Uken, Jessica Blackington, David Vanderlinde.
Visual Technician - Ryan Tysdal

Drill Writer - Ryan Tysdal
Color guard choreographer - Brandon Block
Music arranger - Jeremy Hegg

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