About The Brass Band
The modern Carlisle Brass Band was created in 2018 to provide an opportunity for our brass musicians and percussionists to perform traditional British and American brass band music and compete in regional and national brass band festivals and competitions.
The Carlisle Brass Band is a smaller organization than the Town Band, with only thirty-two members, which facilitates its ability to travel and perform in smaller venues. Approximately two-thirds of the Brass Band's members are also in the Carlisle Town Band, with the remainder coming from throughout south-central Pennsylvania and Maryland.
A member of the North American Brass Band Association (NABBA), the Carlisle Brass Band competed in the 2025 NABBA Championships and has performed several times at the Gettysburg Brass Band Festival.
David Knott, Brass Band Director
David Knott is a conductor, educator, percussionist, and leadership advocate who believes extraordinary performances begin with extraordinary people. Known for building cultures of trust, discipline, and shared purpose, he helps ensembles discover that their greatest potential lies not only in musical excellence, but in the strength of the people creating it.
Mr. Knott serves on the instrumental music faculty at Milton Hershey School, where he directs the Middle Division Band program, developing young musicians through a culture of excellence, leadership, and artistic growth.
He is the Music Director and Conductor of the Carlisle Brass Band, leading the ensemble to an appearance at the 2025 North American Brass Band Association Championships in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He also serves as Associate Conductor and Principal Timpanist of the Hershey Symphony Orchestra.
An active clinician and author, Mr. Knott has presented professional development sessions for the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) and has written for both PMEA and the Association of Concert Bands on conducting, rehearsal culture, leadership, and music education. He also served for three summers on the faculty of the University of the Arts Summer Music Studies program, where he developed and taught graduate coursework integrating trauma-informed teaching practices and social-emotional learning into ensemble instruction.
Mr. Knott holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Music in Percussion Performance from Michigan State University. Whether on the podium, behind the timpani, or in the classroom, his mission remains the same: to inspire people to achieve more together than they ever imagined possible.
You can connect with Mr. Knott on Instagram (@dekconductor) and LinkedIn.
"Everything I do I believe will challenge the status quo, I believe in thinking differently. I put students first, placing them in a safe and rigorous environment and provide the tools to allow them to reach their fullest creative self. I just happen to use band instruments to get there. My mission in one word: #Elevate “