Team Lead for the HABITS Series

Scott Rush is the team lead for the Habits series published by GIA and is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music. He has served as a clinician throughout the United States and Canada and is the author or co-author of fourteen highly touted books in music education, including, Habits of a Successful Band Director, Habits of a Significant Band Director, Habits of a Successful Middle School Band Director, Habits of a Successful Beginner Band Musician, Habits of a Successful Middle School Musician, Habits of a Successful Musician, and Pathway to Success: Habits for Creating a Culture of Excellence in Band, Choir, and Orchestra. He is the former Director of Bands at Wando High School.

Strings Lead for the HABITS Series

Dr. Christopher Selby is a 30-year veteran public school orchestra teacher, and he is the lead string author of the Habits of a Successful String Musician method book series published by GIA. He is an active clinician and conductor, and has presented sessions at numerous Midwest Clinics, American String Teacher Association (ASTA) National Conferences, and state conferences across America. Dr. Selby currently directs the high school orchestras at the School of the Arts in Charleston, SC. His orchestras have performed at the Midwest Clinic and have twice won the top award of Grand Champion at ASTA’s National Orchestra Festival.

Dr. Selby earned a music education degree from the Hartt School of Music, and a Masters and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Orchestral Conducting from the University of South Carolina. He regularly guest conducts Regional and All-State Orchestras across America, and he has held state and national leadership positions in ASTA and NAfME. In addition to the Habits string method book series, Dr. Selby is also the author of Habits of a Successful Orchestra Director, Music Theory for the Successful String Musician, and a contributing author for Teaching Music Through Performance in Orchestra, vol. 4 and other books published by GIA.

Middle School Strings Lead for the Habits Series

Margaret Selby is the orchestra director and 2020 Teacher of the Year at Laing Middle School in Charleston County (SC) where her program grew from 42 to 215 students in five years. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and her Master’s degree in Music Performance from the University of South Carolina. Mrs. Selby’s orchestras have participated in SCMEA Concert Performance Assessment and other festivals in the southeast, earning superior ratings.

She has been a guest conductor for the West Virginia Junior All-State Orchestra, multiple region orchestras across South Carolina and North Carolina, and was the conductor of the Charleston County Honors Orchestra from 2012-16. She has adjudicated orchestras in Las Vegas and South Carolina, and has been a clinician for the Texas Orchestra Directors Association, Dorchester County String teachers, the Univ. of SC String Teacher Workshop, and SC Region and All-State Orchestra cello sectionals. She is a contributing author of Rehearsing the Middle School Orchestra, published by Meredith Music and distributed by GIA Publications, Inc. She co-presented at the 2019 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago and the 2021, 2020 and 2012 ASTA National Conference. Mrs. Selby is the 2017-18 String Educator of the Year awarded by Southern String Supply.

She has served as the President for the South Carolina Music Educators Association Orchestra Division, a former Secretary/Treasurer for the ASTA of South Carolina, and is currently the SCMEA Orchestra Division Region 4 Representative. She has performed with the South Carolina Philharmonic, the Charleston Symphony, and regularly as a freelance cellist. She is also a registered Suzuki cello teacher. Mrs. Selby lives in Mt. Pleasant, SC with her husband and their two children. She enjoys running and sampling Charleston’s many amazing restaurants.

Choir Lead for the HABITS Series

Eric Wilkinson is the director of the Wando High School Choir program in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, and is the choir lead for the Habits series. He is the author of Habits of a Successful Choir Director and a highly touted method book, Habits of a Successful Choral Musician published by GIA. He is sought after as a clinician throughout the United States and was awarded the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award in 2007.

Middle School Band Lead for the HABITS Series

Jeff Scott is the former Director of Bands at Cario Middle School in Mount Pleasant, SC, where held that position from 2001 until his retirement in 2023. He is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and received a Master of Instrumental Music in Conducting at Southern Oregon University. He was awarded National Board Certification in 2005 and 2015. In 2020, he was named Phi Beta Mu “South Carolina Bandmaster of the Year”.

Mr. Scott is co-author of the highly touted books Habits of a Successful Middle School Band Director, Habits of a Successful Middle School Musician, and Habits of a Successful Beginner Band Musician published by GIA Publications.

Leadership and Education

Tim Lautzenheiser is a well-known name in the music education world as a teacher, clinician, author, composer, consultant, and above all, a trusted friend to anyone interested in working with young people to create a culture of excellence. He is the author of several books for GIA, including Pathway to Success, Classic Leadership, Leadership 2, Everyday Wisdom for Inspired Teaching, Music Advocacy and Student Leadership, The Joy of Inspired Teaching, and The Art of Successful Teaching.

The Foundations™ Series

Jeffrey Grogan is an internationally-acclaimed conductor and teacher, currently serving as Director of Orchestral Activities at the Bass School of Music at Oklahoma City University and Artistic Director of the Oklahoma Youth Orchestras. Grogan’s recent work includes conducting at the Musikverein in Vienna, Sydney Opera House, Harpa Concert Hall in Iceland, and in Bangkok and Singapore. Grogan serves as a Master Educator for the Yamaha Corporation of America and is on the Advisory Committees of the Midwest Clinic and Music for All.

He has also served as the visionary for TeachMusic, a coalition formed to help find resources and solutions to the challenges facing the music educator workforce, working to retain, shepherd, and recruit the next generation of music educators. TeachMusic works with industry partners, including the American Choral Directors Association, the American String Teachers Association, Music for All, the National Association for Music Education, the National Federation of State High School Associations, the NAMM Foundation, and many others. For several summers, he was invited by the LA Philharmonic to conduct alongside Gustavo Dudamel at Disney Hall, a part of the Youth Orchestras of Los Angeles National Festival. Following his passion for performing and helping to create new music for orchestras, he has collaborated with many composers such as Omar Thomas, Amanda Harberg, Lowell Liebermann, Michael Colgrass, Eric Whitacre, Steven Stucky, and Scott McAllister – as well as soloists Richard Stolzman, Stefan Hoskuldsson, Julian Schwarz, the Boston Brass, and the Canadian Brass.

Grogan worked in studio and on several projects with violinist and composer Mark O’Connor, recording O’Connor’s March of the Gypsy Fiddler with the Ahn Trio and New Jersey Youth Symphony on OMAC Records; a recording which is played on classical music radio throughout the country. Grogan previously served eleven seasons as Education and Community Engagement Conductor of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and as Conductor and Artistic Director of the NJSO Youth Orchestras, the InterSchool Orchestras of New York and the New Jersey Youth Symphony. He was the founding Artistic Director of two El Sistema inspired programs in New Jersey: CHAMPS and the Paterson Music Project. Grogan taught for over a decade at the University of Michigan, Ithaca College, and Baylor University and is the former Associate Director of Bands and Marching Band Director at the University of Michigan and Baylor University.

Following a distinguished thirty-three-year teaching career, Professor Paula A. Crider continues to share her passion for making music through an active schedule as guest conductor, lecturer, clinician, and adjudicator. She has enjoyed engagements in forty-six states, as well as Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, South Korea, France, Italy, and Australia. She is Professor Emerita at the University of Texas, where she was twice awarded the “Eyes of Texas” Award for distinguished teaching.

Professor Crider has taught in the public schools at all levels and holds the distinction of having been the first female in the state of Texas to serve as director of bands at a Class 5A high school. Her Crockett High School Bands in Austin, Texas, earned twelve consecutive University Interscholastic League “Sweepstakes Awards” for musical excellence, received national recognition on the concert stage, and were twice named Texas 5A State Marching Champions. Professor Crider was the recipient of the National Band Association’s “Citation of Excellence,” presented by Dr. William D. Revelli, for her band’s performance at the NBA National Convention.

During her tenure at the University of Texas, Professor Crider conducted the Symphony Band, the Longhorn Marching and Concert Bands, and served as Instructor for Undergraduate Conducting, Brass Methods, and Graduate Wind Literature. She supervised student teachers and served as administrator for the Longhorn Music Camps. The 380-member Longhorn Band enjoyed national acclaim under her leadership. She has also served as Interim Director of Bands at Columbus State University and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She continues to serve as visiting guest professor at universities throughout the country.

Professor Crider has written numerous articles for The Instrumentalist, The Band Director’s Guide, and the NBA Journal. She has published manuals on brass techniques, marching band methods, and instrumental conducting, and is co-author for the Hal Leonard “Masterwork Studies” series, a text for high school bands. She is editor of The Conductor’s Legacy, published by GIA Publications.

Professor Crider has presented professional teacher seminars throughout the United States and abroad. She has served as coordinator for the National Band Association Young Conductor/Mentor Program and is currently serving as Senior Educational Consultant for Conn-Selmer. Professor Crider is a Past President of both the National Band Association and the American Bandmasters Association.

Honors and awards include induction into the Phi Beta Mu International Hall of Fame, the National Band Association Hall of Fame, and the Women Band Directors International Hall of Fame. She was named Texas Bandmaster of the Year and was awarded the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic Medal of Honor. She was honored with a Doctor of Music Education Honoris Causa by the VanderCook College of Music.

Educational Consultant for the Habits Series

Marguerite Wilder is widely recognized as a conductor and clinician, having conducted honor bands throughout the United States, Canada, England, Italy, Turkey, and Australia. Serving as a resource person for in-service sessions, she works with both local and regional school systems and universities. Her clinics on motivational techniques for beginning band are often featured at national conferences.

Percussion Lead for the Habits Series

Kevin Boyle is Associate Director of Bands at Tapp Middle School in Cobb County, Georgia, and is the percussion lead for the Habits series published by GIA. He has written student percussion books for Habits of a Successful Musician, Habits of a Successful Middle School Musician, and Habits of a Successful Beginner Band Musician.

Habits of Succcessful Young String Musicians

Sarah Ball has been teaching orchestra for twenty seven years, currently at North Gwinnett Middle School in Sugar Hill, Ga, where she is one of two orchestra directors. The NGMS orchestra program has 575 students enrolled in grades 6-8. The 8th grade orchestra was selected to perform at GMEA in January (2012 and 2024), and received the GMEA Exemplary Performance Award in 2009 and 2015. In December 2013, the NGMS Honor Orchestra was one of three middle school orchestras selected internationally to perform in Chicago, Illinois at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, and has performed at Carnegie Hall. The NGMS music department was awarded the inaugural Exemplary Program Award from GMEA (2017-18).’

Mrs. Ball holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Appalachian State University and a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from Lesley University. She was named the NGMS Teacher of the Year for 2011-12 and was selected as the middle school Teacher of the Year for Gwinnett County. In 2018, Mrs. Ball was chosen as the GA ASTA String Educator of the year and was awarded with the Elizabeth A. H. Green award by the American String Teacher’s Association in March of 2023. She has served as state treasurer and president for GA-ASTA, has served on the national board as member at large, and is currently the K-12 orchestra curriculum committee chair. Mrs. Ball was the GMEA Orchestra Division Chair, and has also served as Vice President for All-State events. She has held school leadership roles as curriculum and department chair at both Lanier MS and NGMS. Mrs. Ball has presented professional development sessions at the school, county, state and national level including the national ASTA conference and The Ohio State University String Teacher’s Workshop. She co-authored a chapter in “Rehearsing the School Orchestra” and Volume 4 of Teaching Music Through Performance in Orchestra. She is active as a clinician, adjudicator, and conductor throughout the country. In addition, she is has been on the staff of the GA-ASTA camp for 15 years and serves as a mentor at the local and county level. Mrs. Ball started violin at the age of 10 in the Henderson County Strings Program (Hendersonville, NC) and currently resides in Johns Creek, Georgia with her husband Jerrod, and their cats, Topsy and Turvy. 

AC New Middle School, Director of Choirs

Mrs. Melody Villegas has been the Director of Choirs at AC New Middle School since 2015. Under her direction, students have earned consistent Sweepstakes ratings at UIL Concert & Sight Reading contest. Her firm belief that everyone can sing has manifested in the Knight Choir by tripling its size from 88 to 300 students with a tenfold increase in male singers.

Before teaching in Mesquite, Mrs. Villegas taught at Ted Polk Middle School in Carrollton, TX, from 2009-2015. Under her direction, TPMS Choirs more than doubled in size, received consistent Sweepstakes awards, and increased their All-Region membership from 3 to 21 students. Additionally, she served as the TMEA Region 24 Middle School Vocal Division Coordinator from 2012-2014, and is the current Middle School Vocal Division Coordinator for Region 3.

Melody is a Mesquite native and a 2005 graduate of Poteet High School. In 2009, she graduated Cum Laude from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Choral Music Education. She holds professional affiliations with TCDA, TMEA, and TMAA, and judges UIL, All-Region, and Solo and Ensemble contests in various regions across the state.

Mrs. Villegas lives in Mesquite with her husband, AJ, and their children, Ian and Fiona. The Villegases are members of White Rock UMC. When Mrs. V. is not serving the choir students of AC New, she spends time listening to podcasts, learning about history, chasing toddlers, and planning trips with her family.

Director of Bands, Associate Professor of Music – Vandercook College of Music

Alexander Kaminsky was appointed Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music at VanderCook College of Music in 2019 after a highly successful tenure at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL.  Previous to that, Kaminsky led the band programs at Buchholz High School, Lincoln High School, Auburndale High School, and Cocoa Beach Jr/Sr High School, all of which excelled under his direction.  He holds degrees from the University of Florida and Indiana University, is active as an adjudicator, and is in demand as a guest conductor/clinician across the country.

Throughout his 30-year career as a high school band director, Kaminsky’s ensembles consistently earned Superior ratings at all levels of evaluation.  In addition to earning straight Superior ratings at the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA) State Concert Band Assessment for an unprecedented 21 years (the last 11 years with both his first and second bands), he is the only director in the history of the FBA to have had three concert bands from one school earn straight Superior ratings at State, and he achieved this three times (2009, 2018, and 2019).

Kaminsky’s high school bands performed at the Midwest Clinic (2005, 2009, 2014, and 2018), ABA National Convention (2014), CBDNA/NBA Southern Division Conference (2004 and 2014), FMEA State Conference (2014), Music for All National Concert Band Festival (2002 and 2012), and the National Wind Band Festival at Carnegie Hall (2009 and 2018).  In 2018, the Stoneman Douglas Wind Symphony was named a Mark of Excellence National Wind Band Honors winner as one of only ten 6A bands in the nation.  His marching bands consistently placed in the Florida Marching Band State Championship Finals, winning several FMBC State Championships (including 4 of his last 6 years as a high school band director), as well as being named a finalist band at BOA regional competitions.

Kaminsky has presented his clinic “How Can I Get My Band to Sound Like That” at various conferences and workshops, and his hands-on rehearsal demonstrations for the annual “How To Fix It” series at the FMEA Professional Development Conference received high acclaim with over 900 attendees in 2019.  In 2024, Kaminsky founded the VanderCook Band Director Summer Workshop and most recently presented “The Kaminsky Method” at the 2024 Midwest Clinic to a standing-room-only crowd. He has been awarded the National Band Association’s Citation of Excellence numerous times and has been recognized with several achievement awards for education including Florida’s 2019 FMEA Secondary Music Educator of the Year Award, FBA Oliver Hobbs Award, FBA Andrew J. Crew Award, National Honor Roll’s Outstanding American Teacher, Nobel Educator of Distinction, Teacher of the Year, and is listed in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.

Kaminsky is a Conn-Selmer Educational Clinician, an elected member of the prestigious American Bandmasters Association and the American School Band Directors’ Association, and also holds memberships in CBDNA, NBA, and Phi Beta Mu.  He has served on many state and national committees including the ABA Sousa/Ostwald Award Committee, was previously the NBA Student Chapters Advisor, and is currently Chair of the ABA School Bands Task Force.  Kaminsky is a National Board Certified Teacher and has been featured in several publications including The Instrumentalist, Teaching Music, Halftime Magazine, School Band & Orchestra Magazine’s “50 Directors Who Make A Difference,” Home Magazine’s “12 Exceptional Educators,” and most recently, Inspiring a Love of Music published by GIA Publications.