308 First Street SE Cullman, AL 35055 256-734-0582
Veteran teacher Linda Bean has had a lifelong love for music, and played that passion into a decadeslong tenure working with aspiring musicians in Cullman City Schools— currently serving as director of Cullman Middle School’ s band program.
During her 36 years teaching band in the system, Bean has seen the CMS band featured as one of just 12 international courses honored for innovative use of technology by Desire2Learn. Taking her work with school band programs even further, Bean is currently working to provide the Alabama Learning Exchange( ALEX) with computer science-based lesson plans for music education.
Bean has loved music since joining the school band herself in elementary school, and has channeled that passion into helping thousands of students do the same in the years since.
“ Once I joined the band in fourth grade I could not wait to get to school each day. My teachers knew how much I practiced my trumpet and would let me go to the band room as soon as my class work was done,” Bean said.“ I was blessed to have incredible music teachers who encouraged and challenged me. By the time I was a senior in high school I was spending seven hours a day in the band room practicing because I loved music and all of the opportunities that came along with it. I decided to become a band director so I could get paid to do something I loved.”
As the Cullman Band prepares for its 100th anniversary commemorating the establishment of the program, Bean said she doesn’ t take lightly the impact and legacy and how it has impacted students for almost a century.
“ Throughout history the band has had many talented and esteemed directors. Standing on the shoulders of those who provided such a strong foundation has allowed the program to flourish,” she added.“ The Cullman Middle School Band Program has successfully transitioned through many changes by maintaining a focus on superior student achievement while cultivating an atmosphere of respect and professionalism all while preserving the joy and fun of making music.”
Just in the few decades she has been teaching music, Bean said the program has evolved and changed dramatically with innovative new technologies to teach and understand music in different ways.
“ Through the use of technology, students now have
access to digital music libraries that rival the most prominent music colleges. In addition, students can readily access instrumental video lessons from some of the premier musicians of the world,” she explained.“ While these technological advancements provide our band students with unprecedented opportunities for growth, they also create an environment where information from all walks of life is competing for the student’ s attention. In some cases the ground we have gained in access to information we have lost in the ability to focus attention.”
Bean said one innovation unique to the Cullman band program is the establishment of the middle school jazz band 33 years ago, which has worked in tandem with the Cullman High School Jazz Band to become one of the top high school jazz bands in the state.“ We have seen that program grow and flourish helping to expose our young music students to a whole new genre of music,” she said.
A piano program was also launched 15 years ago at Cullman Middle School, to help prepare students pursuing music professionally get a leg-up for college, as music majors are required to take two years of piano at the college level.
“ This program helps develop piano players while also preparing our students for the demands of higher education in the field of music,” Bean explained.“ We have a partnership with Dr. Kevin Chance at the University of Alabama who is an Associate Professor of Piano and is currently the President of the Music Teachers National Association. This partnership allows select Cullman Middle School piano students to perform on a recital at the University and opens the door for our piano students to continue their studies at the University of Alabama.”
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308 First Street SE Cullman, AL 35055 256-734-0582
PROFILE 2026 | 5