SHAY BARNES

Voice

JONATHON BEAL

Brass

Jonathon is the band director at Gamewell Middle School in Lenoir. Jonathon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from Wake Forest University. Jonathon and his students have enjoyed success at State Festival, with five superior ratings. (Return to top.)

JOHN CRAIG

Director Harper Concert Band

John was the founder of the Hibriten High School Band and Chorus and later taught instrumental music at Morganton Junior High. In 1986 he returned to Caldwell County and taught Band, Chorus and Music Theory at West Caldwell High School until his retirement in 2003. He received his musical education at Appalachian State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the North Carolina School of the Arts. (Return to top.)

DANICE CLAUDE DESIR

Violin

Danice is originally from Ithaca, New York and is presently completing a Masters Degree in Violin Performance at Appalachian State University. She is a member of the Hayes String Quartet at ASU and has extensive teaching performing experience. (Return to top.)

MEREDITH DORFER

Flute

Meredith is a graduate of Lenoir-Rhyne College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sacred Music. Currently she is pursuing a Master of Music degree in Flute Performance from Appalachian State University. Meredith is an active performer, having participated in the Lenoir-Rhyne Concert Band, the Appalachian Chamber Orchestra, and the Appalachian State Symphony Orchestra. She also plays for many churches and choral ensembles in the area. Meredith is currently an employee of First Presbyterian Church in Morganton, NC, where she directs a youth choir and co-directs the handbell and adult choir. (Return to top.)

GEORGE FIGUEROA

Violin

George Figueroa holds a Bachleor of Music Degree in Violin Performance from the New World School of the Arts and Masters degrees from Kent State University and the University of Oklahoma. An active chamber music performer, soloist and teacher, Mr. Figueroa has performed most recently with La Catrina String quartet and with orchestras including the New World Symphony and the West Palm Beach Opera orchestra. (Return to top.)

KIM GANT

Piano and Voice

Kim holds a Bachelors and Masters degree in voice performance and pedagogy from Appalachian State University. She has been a music instructor at the secondary and post-secondary school levels as well as an active church musician in both choral and handbell directing. She has maintained a private voice and piano studio in Hickory for the past 15 years and was a prior member of the Hickory Choral Society. (Return to top.)

DAWN GRANT

Violin

Dawn Grant earned a music degree in violin performance from Huntingdon College in Montgomery, AL. Her professional accomplishments include: Solo violinist for the Alabama Shakespeare Festival for shows such as ‘Big River’ and ‘A Christmas Story’; a member of the Montgomery and Pensacola Symphonies and sub for the Atlanta Symphony; and the Red Mountain Chamber Orchestra in Birmingham, Alabama. She has enjoyed working with a number of singer/songwriters and new acoustic type bands. She is a former Director of the School of Fine Arts in Gardendale, AL. Her Suzuki Teacher Training was done with Stevie Sandven in Atlanta. (Return to top.)

JIM GREENE

Guitar

Jim is a graduate of the St. Johns River Junior college in Palatka, Florida. Jim is a highly versatile guitarist teaching in the traditional, blues, country, slide and rock styles. His combined talents in performance and teaching have inspired guitar students of all ages. (Return to top.)

PHILLIP KIRBY

Percussion

Phil is a graduate of Lenoir-Rhyne College. He is a frequent performer in a variety of styles including the Western Piedmont Symphony, The Allman Brothers Band and Lynard Skynard. He has toured with the Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps. Phil has taught all levels and styles of percussion and has worked as a instructor at many high schools and middle schools thorughout Western North Carolina. (Return to top.)

RHONDA LORENCE

Suzuki Violin and Viola

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Rhonda is a graduate of the University of South Florida with a Bachelors degree in Music Performance with an emphasis on viola. She also has Suzuki teacher training from Furman University. An active performer and composer, Rhonda has recorded, engineered and produced original music combining viola and synthesizers. (Return to top.)

CHRIS NIGRELLI

Harper Jazz Ensemble

Chris holds a doctorate in trombone performance from the University of Illinois at Urbane-Champaign. as well as degrees from the University of Michigan and Western Michigan University. His is an associate professor of music at Lenoir-Rhyne College, where he conducts the jazz ensemble, brass ensemble, and teaches applied low brass and music history. (Return to top.)

TERRY REID

Beginning and Intermediate Summer Band Camp

Terry is the current band director at William Lenoir Middle School. He attended Wetsern Carolina University where he received a Bachelors degree in music education. Terry has played French Horn in the Asheville Symphony and various brass quintets in the southeast. Before teaching at William Lenoir, Terry taught for 9 years at West Alexander Middle School. (Return to top.)

MICHAEL RIGGS

Piano

Michael Riggs is a graduate of Lenoir-Rhyne University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music studying piano, pipe organ and trumpet. He is also a graduate of Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Science in Housing and Design. He is currently a West Caldwell High School teacher and chair of the Family and Consumer Science department. He has taught private piano since 1986. He is organist at First Baptist Church in Hudson. He has taken additional courses at Colorado State University and University of Phoenix. For 13 years he was on the music faculty at Caldwell Community College. His memberships include the American Guild of Organists, The Hickory Music Club, The National Federation of Music Clubs, Caldwell County Historical Society, and Professional Educators of North Carolina.. (Return to top.)

BOBBY STEADMAN

Guitar

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CINDY TATE

Suzuki Piano
Music Therapy

BARBARA TAYLOR

Organ

Barbara earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in Music (organ) from Presbyterian College, South Carolina and Master of Music degree in organ from the College Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati. Barbara has extensive experience in church music and accompanying. Certified as a Kindermusik instructor, Barbara maintained a private studio where her students ranged in age from infant to adult. (Return to top.)

KEVIN TOWNSEND

Brass

Kevin Townsend is the Director of Bands at Hibriten High School in Lenoir, NC. He holds a Master of Music Education Degree with a concentration in Band Directing from Appalachian State University and earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Lenoir-Rhyne University. Under his instruction, the Hibriten Symphonic Band has consistently earned Superior ratings at the N.C. Northwest District Music Performance Adjudication and other music festivals. (Return to top.)

MIKE WILLIS

Harp
Percussion

Mike studied music at Brevard and at Appalachian State University. He has extensive experience playing professionally with a variety of musical groups. He has played percussion with the New York Quartet and with the Jerry Lambert Trio in Charlotte, Raleigh and Atlanta. (Return to top.)

KIMBERLY
ZIMMERMAN

Cello

Kimberly Zimmerman graduated from Salem College wih a Bachelor of Music of Music Education. She is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Cello Performance from Appalachian State University, where she teaches undergraduate cello and performs with the Hayes Graduate String Quartet, the Appalachian Symphony Orchestra, the Appalachian Philharmonia, and Collegium Musicum, Appalachian's Baroque ensemble. After completing her graduate work, she intends to pursue a career in public school music education. (Return to top.)