Mr. Ethan Hacker has been the Band Director at Braden River Middle School in Bradenton, Florida since February of 2024. In his first full year at BRMS, the bands achieved Straight Superior ratings at both Concert Band and Jazz Band MPA (Music Performance Assessment) for the first time in 25+ years. Before teaching at BRMS, Ethan lived in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he worked with numerous High School and Middle School Band programs such as the highly acclaimed Carroll and Homestead High Schools. 

Mr. Hacker is a graduate of  Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW) with a Bachelor's of Music Education. While at PFW, Ethan was a member of the Jazz Ensemble and Wind Ensemble, playing lead and principal trombone in each of the groups respectively. He also joined the PFW Wind Ensemble on their tour of Western Europe in the summer of 2023, and was a soloist on the program.

Mr. Hacker is the current Co-Muisc Caption Head of WGI World Championships Silver Medalist Horizon Winds, a performing arts organization based in Sarasota, Florida. He also is an instructor with the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps based out of Santa Clara, California and spends his summers touring the country teaching the group as they perform for tens of thousands of people over the course of the summer months. Before joining the staff at SCV, he was on the brass staff for the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps (WY) and The Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle corps (WI). Mr. Hacker also teaches the Braden River High School Marching Band, helping them win back to back state championships in 2024 and 2025.

In his free time, Mr. Hacker likes spending time with his Wife going to Disney, cooking, watching movies, watching football and hockey, as well as spending time with their cats Peyton and Koda. He also plays trombone professionally with groups like "The Three Rivers Big Band", "The Sarasota Concert Band", "The Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble", and "The Sarasota Jazz Project".