Award-winning alumnus hired as new band director and music faculty

Scott Filleman returns to OC’s campus to lead the band program. 

September 10, 2019 - Oklahoma Christian University band students will learn from a nationally recognized, award-winning professor this fall. OC's Department of Music proudly announced Scott Filleman as the new director of instrumental ensembles and assistant professor of music. He coordinates the symphonic band, the steel drum ensemble and the sweat band. 

A proud OC alumnus in music education ('05), Filleman continued his studies at the University of Central Oklahoma to earn master's degrees in music and education. Initially, he returned home to Arizona to teach elementary music.

In 2006, Filleman decided to move back to the Edmond area to raise his family. He worked and expanded the band program at Santa Fe South Middle School through grants, scholarships, donations and Craigslist garage sales to raise money for instruments. In spite of these challenges, Filleman was able to motivate his students to have a true passion for music, even while lacking prior experience. From 24 students to 416 when he left the school in 2016, he led his students to third place at nationals and trained all-staters in almost every instrument possible. One of his students was accepted to MIT, and the student credited Filleman as the reason why. 

Filleman then accepted a job at Oklahoma Christian Academy, where he grew their band program from 14 to 71 students. He also held the position of Fine Arts Director over every music group at the academy. While there, OCA received the “Best Communities for Music Education” awards by the National Association of Music Merchants, one of only two schools in the state to do so. 

Filleman also was one of two teachers to receive the national Butler-Cooley Excellence in Teaching Awards from the Turnaround Management Association in 2015.

Filleman looks forward to making music at his alma mater with his mentors, music professors John Fletcher and Heath Jones. In addition, Filleman is thrilled to make music at the college level OC students who are passionate for music. 

“Being ‘boots on the ground’ with college students is the most satisfying job I’ve ever had,” Filleman said. “It is encouraging to work with adults who know what they want to do and who want to do band together.” 

Filleman and his wife of 17 years, OC alumna Dara, still live in the area and are actively involved at the Edmond Church of Christ. They have four children: Evelyn (15), Conlan (11), Aria (8) and Kimber (6), and their 10-pound poodle, Leroy.