✉ Contact Scott Cullen
Scott Cullen teaches instrumental music for grades 7 through 12 for the Octorara Area School District. Prior to working at Octorara, Mr. Cullen taught elementary band and middle school performing arts classes for the Central Bucks School District. Mr. Cullen joined the music department at Octorara in 2002 and teaches high school music electives such as guitar, piano, music theory, and music appreciation, in addition to teaching middle school band, high school band, high school marching band, and high school jazz band. He is also an adjunct faculty member at Immaculata University teaching trombone lessons.
Believing that professional affiliations are essential as an educator, Mr. Cullen has been a member of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association for his entire career. His activities and roles with PMEA have been varied. He has hosted or co-hosted five high school honors festivals for band, orchestra, and chorus students. He has also had an active role as a leader in District 12 serving at various times as president, festival coordinator, advocacy chair, and curriculum and instruction chair. In these roles Scott has also served on the PMEA state board.
An active performer, Scott is the principal trombonist with the New Holland Band and the Chester County Pops Orchestra, is a member of the Main Line Symphony Orchestra, and has performed with Allegro Orchestra Lancaster, Orchestra Concordia, and the Lancaster Brass Quintet. As a freelance musician, he has performed in pit orchestras at the Fulton Theatre and the Dutch Apple Dinner Theater in Lancaster, the Bravo Theater Company in West Chester, and at various high schools in southeastern Pennsylvania. In addition to his activities as an educator and a trombonist, Mr. Cullen also enjoys working as a conductor. He was named the Associate Conductor of the Pennsylvania Symphonic Winds in January 2018 and the assistant conductor of the Main Line Symphony Orchestra in July 2018. He has also conducted the Chester County Pops Orchestra and the Wind Ensemble, Wind Symphony, and Concert Band at West Chester University. He was invited to co-direct the Chester County Youth Wind Ensemble in 2017 until his departure in 2019. Mr. Cullen has been involved with the annual spring musical at Octorara Area High School since 2003. He has had the roles of pit orchestra conductor, music director, and director.
Mr. Cullen also has experience working with local community theater groups. He directed “The Music Man” and “Little Shop of Horrors” for the Jennersville YMCA and was the music director for the production of “Hairspray” at Streetlamp Productions in Rising Sun, Maryland. Scott has also dabbled slightly as an actor and performed the roles of Marcellus Washburn in ‘The Music Man,” Aldolfo in “The Drowsy Chaperone,” and J.B. Biggley in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” all three musicals produced by the ACT Players Community Theater.
Scott earned his Bachelor’s degree in music education from West Chester University in 2001. He returned to WCU to earn his Master’s degree in music education with an emphasis in technology in 2009, followed by a second Master’s degree in music performance in wind conducting in 2015. Since completing his degree in conducting, Mr. Cullen has attended master classes in wind conducting at Temple University, West Chester University, and the University of Montana working with conductors Dr. Andrew Yozviak, Dr. Gregory Martin, Dr. Kevin Sedatole, Dr. Roberty Carnochan, H. Robert Reynolds, Dr. Emily Threinen, Col. Arnald Gabriel (ret), Michael Haithcock, Dr. Allan McMurray, and Dr. James Smart.
Mr. Cullen’s organization affiliations include the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, the National Association for Music Education, the National Band Association, the Association of Concert Bands, Phi Beta Mu – The International Bandmasters Fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Kappa Kappa Psi.