ORHS Band Staff
Michael Spirko (B.M. - University of Tennessee, Knoxville) Trumpet
Mr. Spirko is the Band Director at Oak Ridge High School where he has taught for 12 years. He is in his 27th year of teaching in the region. After beginning his career in Sevier County, he served as Director of Bands at Halls High School and then taught for 11 years at West Valley Middle School. Mr. Spirko holds a Bachelors of Music in Music Education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. While at UT, Mr. Spirko played in many ensembles and pursued a double major in Studio Music and Jazz. He was an active member of the "Pride of the Southland Band" for 6 years and was honored to serve as Drum Major in 1997. Mr. Spirko has been an active trumpet player and performer in the Knoxville area for 30 years. He is currently a member of the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, The Fine Columbians (a Steely Dan tribute band), and leads his own swing big band, The Streamliners.
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Mr. Spirko lives in the “Old North” area of Knoxville and when not teaching or performing, he enjoys spending time with his two adult children, Jake and Luke.
Sean Rutherford (B.M. - University of Tennessee, Knoxville) Percussion
Mr. Sean Rutherford is the Assistant Band Director and Director of Percussion at Oak Ridge High School (ORHS). Since taking over percussion leadership at ORHS, the percussion program has achieved remarkable success, earning a medal at the East Tennessee Percussion and Arts Association (ETPAA) Championships every year since 2018—including three gold medals. Under his direction, the ensemble has been a multiple-time WGI Regional Finalist and proudly earned a spot as a 2023 WGI World Championship Finalist, finishing in 10th place.
Prior to joining the ORHS staff, Mr. Rutherford served two years as Band Director at Jefferson Middle School. He also spent one year as the Assistant Director at Fulton High School and six years as Director of Bands at Clinton Middle School, where he also assisted at Clinton High School.
Mr. Rutherford holds a degree from the University of Tennessee, where he was a member of the “Pride of the Southland Band” and participated in various wind, percussion, and chamber ensembles.
His marching experience includes four years in Drum Corps International (DCI). He marched two years in Division III, spent one year in the front ensemble for the Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps, and aged out in 2000 as a tenor with the Glassmen Drum & Bugle Corps. During his time in DCI, he studied under renowned instructors Thom Hannum, Lee Beddis, Colin McNutt, Brian Tinkel, James Ancona, and Ian Moyer.
Mr. Rutherford is a member of MENC, TMEA, ETSBOA, PAS, and is proud to be part of the Vic Firth Education Team. He and his wife, Missy, reside in Knoxville with their son, Silas, and daughter, Marley. The family is rounded out by their three beloved dogs—Luna, Comet, and Cosmo.
Ireri Jacobo - Colorguard, Band TA
Ms. Jacobo is the Colorguard Director at ORHS and also is the band TA. She comes to the high school with four years of teaching experience, after three years as the Gibbs Colorguard Director. Helping build their colorguard program and starting the very first middle school prepguard program at Gibbs Middle School. She then served one year as a guard technician and Junior Varsity Guard Director at Farragut High School.
Ms. J has experience marching in the ORHS colorguard from 2015-2019. She then went on to perform and compete with Beau Monde Independent in their inaugural year and made it to the WGI World semi-finals. Learning and creating with the help of Beau Monde and FHS Director, Mollie Mcgill, Ms. Jacobo has enriched her teaching curriculum and helps students not only spin and dance, but hold values and growth within the guard program.
She would like to thank her parents for their continuous support towards the Wildband program. Raising three wonderful daughters and supporting them through the ORHS Guard programs, and their son now entering the Wildband world.
Ahsia Spencer (B.M Nofolk State University (clarinet/oboe)/ M. Ed. Carson-Newman University)
​Ahsia Spencer, a Virginia Native, joined the Oak Ridge community in January 2023 as the Music Teacher at Willow Brook Elementary and transitioned to Robertsville Middle as the Band Director in March 2025. He earned his Bachelor's in Music Education at Norfolk State University, where he double-majored in clarinet and oboe. After graduating, he assumed the position of Band Director at Indian River High School in Chesapeake, Virginia, where he was also the dance and colorguard instructor.
In 2013, Mr. Spencer moved to Tennessee and began teaching in East Knoxville, where he taught at Sarah Moore Green Elementary School, Vine Middle School, and Austin-East High School. In 2014, he earned his M.Ed. Ed from Carson-Newman University. From there, he earned his Principal Licensure in December 2024.
Mr. Spencer has been involved in the Marching Arts for over 20 years. He participated in winterguard, indoor drumline, marching band, and Drum Corps, where he received instruction from Allen Joanis, Teddy Holcomb, Bennie Marshall, Adam Sage, Gary Harner, and Matthew Minick, just to name a few. His most recent marching endeavors were serving as weapon captain with Cadets2 in 2012 (in their inaugural season) and Colorguard Caption Head for Southern Knights Drum and Bugle Corps in 2017.
Mr. Spencer is currently a colorguard (movement/equipment) judge for AIA and CIPPA in the Winter season. During the Fall, he adjudicates in many captions for multiple shows in the Southeast. Throughout the year, he plays 2nd Oboe/English Horn with the Scruffy City Orchestra.