Beau Robinson
Director of Bands
Mr. Robinson is a native of Flowood, MS. He participated in the band program at Northwest Rankin High School under the instruction of Chuck Reynolds, Scott Presley, Matt McDonald, Jerry Pickering, and Dr. Ben Burge. Upon graduating, Mr. Robinson attended the University of Mississippi where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Music.
While at Ole Miss, he performed with The Pride of the South Marching Band, The University of Mississippi Symphonic Band, The Collegians Jazz Ensemble, The Lafayette-Oxford-University Symphony, as well as various brass quartets. During his studies at Ole Miss, Mr. Robinson had the pleasure of studying under Dr. John Schuesselin, Dr. Lauradella Folks-levy, and Mr. David Willson.
After Ole Miss, Mr. Robinson began his career as an Assistant Band Director at Kosciusko High School and Kosciusko Jr. High School. While at Kosciusko, he helped all bands receive all superior ratings, including a silver medal at MHSAA State Marching Championship.
In July of 2015, Mr. Robinson joined the staff at Florence High School as the Director of Bands. Since then, he has led the Big Red Band to earn multiple superior ratings as well as the prestigious SweepStakes Award (first in school history).
Mr. Robinson resides in Flowood with his wife Madalyn, daughter, Macey, and dog, Willson.
Email: Edw201@rcsd.ms
Josh Menard
Assistant Band Director & Percussion Director
Mr. Menard is from New Orleans, Louisiana (Metairie, more specifically) where he attended East Jefferson High School and participated as a member of the leadership team and percussion section leader for the majority of his high school career. His senior year he attended the All-South Honor Band clinic at the University of Southern Mississippi, where he discovered a place to further explore his passion for music.
Once attending USM, Mr. Menard explored a percussive career within many ensembles, including the Southern Mississippi Steel Pan Orchestra (SOMisPO), The Symphonic Winds, The Wind Ensemble, The USM Symphony Orchestra, the Southern Miss Jazz Lab 2, the USM Percussion Ensemble and served as a section leader within the Pride of Mississippi Marching Band - all with guidance of many mentors including Dr. John Wooton, Dr. James Standland, Dr. Colin McKenzie, Dr. Travis Higa, Dr. Catherine Rand, and Mr. Larry Panella. Mr. Menard completed his Bachelor’s in Music Education in 2021 after an exciting, prolonged career beginning in 2014.
Throughout his collegiate career, Mr. Menard worked with several scholastic ensembles within the state, and filled as part-time percussion instructor at Stone High School from 2018-2021, where he helped to bring the percussion section to achieve a first-place ranking alongside the band’s state championship win.
After his collegiate career, Mr. Menard has begun his teaching career with us as Assistant Band Director and Director of Percussion at Florence High School, where he hopes to make a difference by helping to bring better musical opportunity to the Florence community.
Mr. Menard resides in Pearl, MS with his sick drum set and gaming PC.
Email: Jos509@rcsd.ms
Nick Papania
Assistant Band Director & Middle School Director
Mr. Papania is a native of Gulfport, MS and an alumni of Gulfport High School (2014). During his time with the GHS band, he was under the instruction of Zachary Harris, Wes Morehead, Dee Dee Pitts, Jennifer Sills, Jimi Brown and Robyn Ball. He was a member of the 2014 Mississippi Lions All-State Band on Baritone Saxophone and won both the John Phillip Sousa & Louis Armstrong Band Awards his senior year.
After graduating, Mr. Papania earned both his Bachelor’s (2019) and Master’s (2020) degrees in Music Education from William Carey University. While an undergraduate student at WCU, Mr. Papania majored in saxophone, studying under Wes Cameron. Along with his saxophone studies, Mr. Papania played multiple woodwinds in WCU’s Symphonic Winds, Jazz Band, Tuscan Reeds, Spirit of Carey, Chorale Orchestra, Evidence Winds and several theater orchestras. He also played bassoon for WCU’s first ever symphony orchestra performance of Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 2 “Hymn of Praise”.
Mr. Papania student taught at Oak Grove Middle & High Schools under the instruction of Jerry Pickering. During this time, he received WCU’s 2019 Outstanding Student Teacher in Instrumental Music Education Award. After finishing his undergraduate, Mr. Papania began a Master’s program studying Instrumental Conducting under Dr. Wes Dykes.
Since finishing his collegiate studies, Mr. Papania has worked most recently as an Educational Representative with Music & Arts in Flowood, MS. He will begin his teaching career here as an Assistant Director with the Big Red Band.
Mr. Papania resides in Brandon, MS with his wife Alex and their two cats, Thor and Storm.
Email: Nic510@rcsd.ms
Leslie Bustin
Color Guard Instructor
Leslie Bustin is a graduate from the University of Southern Mississippi where she received a degree in Instrumental Music Education (K-12). She is married to her husband Cameron and they have 2 cats, Snot and Jet. Leslie currently teaches 3rd-5th grade music at Florence Elementary School. Leslie began her color guard career at Madison Central High School where she performed with the marching band and Sapphire Winterguard. She was a member of The Pride of Mississippi color guard and was a co-captain for 2 years. Leslie spent her drum corps career with Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps in 2014, and she was an inaugural member of Conversion Independent Winterguard where she marched from 2015-present. Leslie has been a color guard instructor for various schools including North Pike, Oak Grove, Richland, and currently Florence.
Email: Les500@rcsd.ms