THE DIRECTORS

Kenneth Ruff is the Director of University Bands at North Carolina A&T State University.  His Band duties include directing the Marching Band,  the Symphonic bands, the Concert and Pep bands. He creates the drill designs for the marching band and is responsible for the organization and planning of the band program.  Ruff holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Education and Masters Degree in Educational Administration and Supervision from North Carolina A&T State University. He also holds a master’s degree in Music Education, a Specialist degree in Education, and a doctorate in Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Prior to becoming the Director of University Bands at North Carolina A&T State University, Ruff served as an Assistant Principal at Eastern Guilford High School in the Guilford County School System. He also served as an Assistant Director of Bands for North Carolina A&T State University on a part-time basis.  Ruff served as Director of Bands at Eastern Guilford High School and McLeansville Middle School and an Associate Director of Bands at John Motley Morehead High School and Holmes Middle School in Eden, North Carolina.

Ruff is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Professional Fraternity of Music, Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Fraternity

Brian  Millsapp is the Assistant Director of Bands.  He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Education from North Carolina A&T State University with high honors in 1995.  In 2000, he received his Masters in Music Education from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.  He began a career at James Benson Dudley High School from 1995 to 2001.  There, his bands received numerous superior ratings in chamber ensembles, concert, jazz and marching bands. During his tenure he started a marching festival that was unique because it focused on both corps and traditional style bands, known as the P.A.W.E. (Panthers Always Working toward Excellence) Classic.  In 2001, he began a collegiate career at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio.  In 2004 his band at Central State was featured in the movie “Dave Chapelle’s Block Party”.  Brian has now come back to his second home to finish his terminal degree at U.N.C.G.  He is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Fraternity, Inc., Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority, Inc., Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity, HBCU-NBDC (National Band Director’s Consortium and the N.C.M.E.N.C.  Brian was born in Fort Lee, Virginia.