Michelle M. Rickard, Director of Bands

Michelle Rickard is a graduate of Presque Isle High School (Maine) and University of Nebraska at Omaha, where she received the Bachelor of Music, cum laude, in 1982.  Ms. Rickard also attended University of Nebraska and VanderCook College of Music.   She has studied clarinet with Allan Harris, Victor Zajec, John Ziegler and Ed Riley.

Ms. Rickard taught band with Music in the Catholic Schools in Omaha, Nebraska for one year before enlisting in the Air Force.  Ms. Rickard served as clarinetist and bagpiper in the Strategic Air Command Band (Nebraska) and the Band of the Air Force Reserve (Warner Robins, GA) until 1988. While in the Air Force, she served as solo clarinetist and woodwind quintet specialist and performed for President Reagan, Pope John Paul and many other dignitaries. She was a distinguished graduate of the NCO Preparatory School, received the Air Force Achievement Medal and was chosen Airman of the Quarter and Airman of the Year.

She has performed clarinet with the Macon Symphony, Georgia Winds, Nebraska Wind Symphony along with freelancing in the Chicago, Omaha, Macon, and Atlanta areas. She is currently performing with the Cobb Wind Symphony under the direction of Alfred Watkins. The Cobb Wind Symphony has performed at the the 2001 College Band Directions National Convention, the 2003 Georgia Music Educators' State Convention, and the 2003 Midwest Band Clinic.  Michelle has taught private clarinet lessons since 1978, producing numerous all state and college musicians. During the 1992 fall semester, Ms. Rickard served as an interim Clarinet Instructor at Mercer University.

Ms. Rickard was Director of Bands at Lost Mountain Middle School for seven years and this is her eighth year as Director of Bands at Durham Middle School. The Durham Bands have consistently received superior ratings at GMEA band festivals. The Durham 8th Grade Symphonic Band, under her direction, performed as a guest band at the 2003 University of Georgia Middle School Band Festival and the 2005 Georgia Music Educators' State Convention in Savannah.  Ms. Rickard has received two Citations of Excellence from the National Band Association.  She has been a guest clinician and conductor throughout the state of Georgia, including two appearances at the UGA Middle School Band Festival.

Ms. Rickard maintains membership affiliation with Georgia Music Educators Association, Music Educators National Conference, the National Band Association, and the Professional Association of Georgia Educators.

Ms. Rickard is a member of City on the Hill United Methodist Church where she is a small group leader, Mission Teams member, and MUST Ministries Coordinator.  

   Jay Asher, Associate Director of Bands
 
 

Mr. Asher is a 24 year music educator in the state of Georgia.  He has taught junior high and middle school band in Albany, Waycross, and Smyrna prior to his current work at Durham Middle School in Acworth.  In his 6th year at Durham, Mr. Asher directs 6th grade band, 7th grade band, 8th grade band, Jazz Band II, and the Durham Brass Ensemble.  His 7th and 8th grade bands consistently receive superior and excellent ratings at the Georgia Music Educators' Large Group Performance Evaluations.

As a result of his institutional studies, Mr. Asher holds and Educational Specialist degree in music education from Georgia State University, a Masters degree in music education from the VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, and a Bachelors degree in music education from Troy State University in Alabama.  In 2000, Mr. Asher contributed research in the area of student achievement by producing an advanced graduate paper, which involved the study of 200 middle school band students from across the state of Georgia.

Mr. Asher continues his professional development by playing trumpet in Tara Winds Community Band, and has studied conducting with Dr. Robert Ambrose, Director of Bands at Georgia State University.  Mr. Asher is the district treasurer for the Georgia Music Educators Association, and maintains affiliation with the International Trumpet Guild, Music Educators National Conference, National Band Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity, and is the local school representative for the Professional Association of Georgia Educators.