Honor Band 1 Clinician

Gregory Denson:

Gregory L. Denson is presently the band director at Cheek MS in Denton ISD, Texas. A native of Morven, Georgia, Denson holds a Bachelor of Music from Morehouse College, a Master of Music Education with certification from The Florida State University, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Music Education from Georgia State University. Denson has studied with David Morrow, Uzee Brown, Andre Thomas, Richard Clary, Clifford Madsen, Steve Kelly, Kimberly VanWeelden, Pat Meighan, Clarence Johnson and Gholnescar Muhammad. 

Dr. Denson began his teaching career at D. M. Therrell High School in the Atlanta Public School System. While at Therrell students participated in the Georgia Music Educators Association Large Group Performance Evaluation, performed in numerous college homecoming parades, participated in The University of Georgia JanFest Clinic, and a host of community and civic events. Dr. Denson also served as the Co-Director of the Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Jazz Ensemble and served as the Lead MS Band Teacher for the Atlanta Public Schools. 

---

Honor Band 2 Clinician

Jon Cotton:

Jon Cotton is in his 18th year of teaching in the Georgia public schools. He is currently the band director at Oconee County Middle School in Watkinsville, GA, and is Assistant Director of the OCHS Warrior Marching Band. Previously, he served as Director of Bands at Jefferson Middle School in Jefferson, GA. Mr. Cotton earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Georgia, the Master of Education in Music Education degree from Auburn University, and the Specialist in Education degree from UGA.

Mr. Cotton has been a volunteer with the Georgia Music Educators Association for many years. Previous statewide service includes: GMEA Vice-President for Performance Evaluations, statewide middle school All-State Band coordinator, and GMEA All-State Band Committee Chair. He has also served District 13 as LGPE Organizer and Secretary/Treasurer, and has served District 14 as Band Chair, Solo & Ensemble Organizer, and is a current LGPE Organizer. He frequently serves as an adjudicator for both Large Group Performance Evaluation and Solo & Ensemble Performance Evaluation in numerous districts throughout Georgia, and regularly serves as a conductor for honor bands throughout the state. Professional affiliations include the National Band Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and the Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity. He is a recipient of the National Band Association's Citation of Excellence.

---

Guest Clinician/Conductor

Ms. Lois Wiggins

National Clinician, Music for All, Inc. 33 years (retired), Band Director in KY, TN & IN

Lois U. Wiggins, Retired Band Director, taught for 33 years in Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana, and most recently she served as Band Director at Edythe J. Hayes Middle School in Lexington, Kentucky. Ms. Wiggins received a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Austin Peay State University, a Master of Music Education from the University of Georgia, and a Rank I in Secondary Education from Western Kentucky University.

Ms. Wiggins is past Kentucky Music Educators Association State Band Chair (2015-16) and served for 10 years as Band Content Area Leader for Fayette County Public Schools in Lexington Kentucky. She is a past member and Associate Conductor of the Lexington Brass Band. Ms. Wiggins is currently a Co-Conductor with the Central Kentucky Youth Repertory Orchestra and Adjunct Faculty at Eastern Kentucky University.

Lois is a Music for All Clinician and has guest conducted honor bands and adjudicated at concert band, marching band and solo & ensemble festivals in New York, New Mexico, Ohio, Tennessee and Kentucky including the Foster Music Camp in Richmond Kentucky. Ms. Wiggins has served as a clinician at the KMEA In-Service Conference, Minority Band Directors National Conference, the Tapestry Multicultural Conference, Music for All Summer Music Symposium, and the Virtual Music Education Conference. Her professional affiliations include the Minority Band Directors National Association, Association of Black Women Band Directors, Phi Beta Mu International Band Masters Fraternity, the, Women Band Directors National Association, Sigma Alpha Iota & Phi Delta Kappa. Ms. Wiggins served on the PBM International Board of Directors from 2006 to 2012 and will serve on the board from January 2022 through December 2025.

KMEA recognitions include District 2 Middle School Teacher of the Year (1997 & 2000), District 2 Distinguished Service Award (1998), & The Citation of Service Award (2014)

Ms. Wiggins is a 2016 Grammy Music Educator Award National Finalist and received the International Women’s Brass Conference “Beacon Award” in 2015. Phi Beta Mu International Band Masters Fraternity recognized Lois as "Outstanding Young Band Director in Kentucky" in 1992 and “Outstanding Bandmaster” in 2010. Ms. Wiggins was named KMEA Middle School Teacher of the year in 2000. Ms. Wiggins was inducted into the Psi Chapter of the Phi Beta Mu Band Masters Fraternity Hall of Fame in February of 2022.

---

Clinic Schedule

Thursday - Jan. 18

• 3:00 - 3:45: Event Registration - Falany Lobby
• 4:00 - 6:00: HB Rehearsal #1
• 6:00 - 7:00: Dinner (provided by RU cost included)
• 7:00: NEWNAN HS WIND ENSEMBLE
  • Josh Boyd, Conductor
  • Laney Bledsoe, Asst. Conductor
• 8:00 - 10:00: HB Rehearsal #2

Friday - Jan. 19

• 9:30 – 12:30: HB Rehearsal #3
• 12:30 – 2:00: Lunch (on your own)
• 2:00 – 3:30: Masterclasses with Reinhardt Instrumental Faculty
• 3:45 – 5:00: HB Rehearsal #4
• 5:00 – 6:30: Dinner (on your own)
• 6:30: NORTH GA. YOUTH WIND SYMPHONY, REINHARDT UNIVERSITY WIND ENSEMBLE
  • Dr. Kerry Bryant, Dir. of Bands, RU
    • Co-conductor, NGYWS
  • Mr. Dennis Naughton, Asst. Dir., RU
    • Co-conductor, NGYWS
• 8:30 – 10:30: HB Rehearsal #5
  

Saturday - Jan. 20

• 9:30 – 11:30: HB Rehearsal #6
• 11:30 – 2:00: Lunch (on your own)
• 2:00 – 3:00: UNION CO. HS SYMPHONIC BAND
  • Mr. Will Stafford, Conductor
• 3:30-4:30: HB Rehearsal #7
• 4:30 – 5:30: Break, change to concert clothes
• 5:30: Call time on stage for performers
• 5:45: Flint Hall house opens- open seating, no admission charge
• 6:00: Honor Band Concert downbeat!

---

Director Nominations

Nomination Deadline: 12/15/23

Directors may nominate students online by clicking here. 

For students selected from nominations, the cost is $95/student. This includes:

• An honor band t-shirt
• One provided dinner on campus
• Masterclasses with RU Artist Affiliates
• Honor band experience with a clinician!

NOTE to directors nominating: PLEASE fill in all text boxes in nominations. The more information we have, the easier it is to place in the honor band appropriately. PLEASE include t-shirt sizes and all other info as well. Failure to do so may result in your selected student(s) receiving the wrong size shirt, or not be seated appropriately in the section, etc.

REMEMBER: The info you provide is ALL we have to go on, since there are no auditions, thank you!

---

Performing bands include:

UNION COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL SYMPHONIC BAND

• Will Stafford, Conductor
• Saturday, 1/20/24, 2:00PM

---

NEWNAN HIGH SCHOOL WIND ENSEMBLE

• Josh Boyd, Conductor
• Laney Bledsoe, Assistant Conductor
• Thursday, 1/18/24, 7:00PM

---

NORTH GEORGIA YOUTH WIND SYMPHONY 

• Dennis Naughton, Conductor
• Dr. Kerry Bryant, Conductor
• Friday, 1/19/24 at 6:30PM

---

REINHARDT UNIVERSITY WIND ENSEMBLE

• Dennis Naughton, Conductor
• Dr. Kerry Bryant, Conductor
• Friday, 1/19/24, immediately following NGYWS's performance