Wayne County schools planning band concert
By Staff Reports
Published in News on March 30, 2011 1:46 PM
Approximately 120 band members from Wayne County Public Schools will showcase their talents on Thursday at 7 p.m. during the 2011 All County Band Festival at Dillard Middle School.
Leading up to the annual event, students from 14 middle and high schools will work with two guest conductors, David Stroud and Steve Lewis.
Stroud, a native of Kinston, is the Newport Middle School band director in Carteret County. A national board certified teacher, he is an active guest clinician and concert/marching band adjudicator in North Carolina and Virginia, and conductor of the "Purple Band" at East Carolina University summer band camp. He has also conducted all-district band clinics for the southeastern, central and eastern districts.
Lewis, from Mount Olive, is currently pursuing a master's of music degree in orchestral conducting at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory. Choir director of the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City, he has enjoyed a diverse musical career as both conductor and a French horn player. Locally, he has conducted the Wilson Symphony, the Beauford County Community Orchestra and numerous concerts at ECU, where he was a student.
Area school band directors have been working for weeks preparing students for the event. These include Jerome Powers of Brogden Middle, Ledford Wilson of Eastern Wayne Middle, Ryan Spell of Greenwood Middle, Daryl Richardson of Dillard Middle, Jonathan Jones of Grantham Middle, Kimberley Benson of Norwayne Middle, Melissa Riser of Rosewood Middle, Samantha Heath of Spring Creek Middle, Michael Palmer of Charles B. Aycock High, Tyrone Wagner of Eastern Wayne High, Antwann Smith of Goldsboro High, Melissa Riser of Rosewood High, Cindy Grant of Southern Wayne High and Timothy Heath of Spring Creek High.
Hope Meyerhoeffer, district performing arts director, will serve as the emcee for the concert, which is free to the public.
"This event is one our audience members look forward to watching and listening to each year. We encourage the community to come out and hear just how talented our students are in the area of music performance," she said.
"The All County Band Festival not only gives our band students an opportunity to showcase their musical talents, but it also allows them to grow as musicians by working with guest conductors who will help them sharpen their craft," added Dr. Steve Taylor, schools superintendent. "It takes a lot of hard work on the part of students and their music directors to make this event a success. We appreciate all of their efforts in mastering the songs, and look forward to hearing a great show."