Clinician Detail

Stop Squeaking! Mastering Woodwind Pedagogy in the Middle and High School Band

Clinic Synopsis:

This clinic examines the pedagogy applied to woodwind teaching in the middle and high school band. Participants will hear from four woodwind teachers with unique backgrounds to provide a well-rounded approach from setup and first tones, to advancing players with intermediate techniques, and continuing individual study through high school.

Sidney Maurice - Biographical Information

Sidney Maurice serves as the Assistant Band Director at McClure Middle School in the Cobb County School District. The McClure Band serves over 400 students and feeds Harrison High School, Kennesaw Mountain High School, and Allatoona High School. Ensembles under her direction have earned consistent Superior Ratings at GMEA Large Group Performance Evaluation, and her students regularly earn sports within the GMEA District XII Middle School Honor Band. She also serves as a Concert Band and Woodwind Clinician around the Metro Atlanta Area. Ms. Maurice has been teaching private Bassoon lessons since 2016 and her students have earned top stops in the GMEA All-State Band and District Bands. She is on staff with Harrison High School in Kennesaw, Georgia; and formerly at Wakeland High School in Frisco, Texas; and has also been on the teaching staff and serving Drum Major for the University of North Texas Green Brigade. Ms. Maurice formerly served as a Band Director in Celina ISD in Celina, Texas. Her duties included teaching a variety of beginner classes, concert bands, as well as assisting with the Celina High School Band during the Fall marching season. During this time, her students won the Texas State Marching Contest and received Superior ratings at UIL. Ms. Maurice is a graduate of the University of North Texas with a degree in Music Education. She was a bassoon student of Dr. Darrel Hale, Kathleen Reynolds, and Dr. Jorge Cruz.

Shelley Ferrell - Biographical Information

Shelley Ferrell is currently in her tenth year as the Associate Director of Bands at Lovinggood Middle School. During this time, the band has performed at UGA MidFest, Music for All Southeastern Regional Concert Festival, NBA/CBDNA Southern Division Conference and the GMEA In-Service Conference. Mrs. Ferrell’s responsibilities include being the lead teacher for the 7th Grade bands, 6th grade flute class, and 6th grade brass classes, as well as assisting with the 8th Grade bands. Prior to teaching at Lovinggood, Mrs. Ferrell was an assistant band director at Mansfield High School, in Mansfield, Texas. Mrs. Ferrell is a graduate of Cobb County’s, Lassiter High School and she holds two degrees from The University of North Texas, a Bachelors in Flute Performance and Music Education. While at The University of North Texas, she studied flute with Dr. Mary Karen Clardy, played in ensembles under the direction of Dennis Fisher and Eugene Migliaro Corporon, and served as Drum Major of the UNT Green Brigade. Mrs. Ferrell’s professional affiliations include the Georgia Music Educators Association and the National Association for Music Education. Mrs. Ferrell is also a four-time recipient of the National Band Association’s Citation of Excellence. Mrs. Ferrell resides in Dallas, Georgia with her husband Chris and three children Katie, Maddie, and Mason.

Joseph Heiberger - Biographical Information

Mr. Heiberger is currently in his eighteenth year as the Director of Bands at Lovinggood Middle School in Cobb County, Georgia (est. 2006). Mr. Heiberger’s bands at Lovinggood have consistently received superior ratings at all levels and have been invited to perform at The University of Georgia Midfest Middle School Band Clinic (2010, 2014), The Auburn University Middle School Band Clinic (2012), The CBDNA/NBA Southern Division Conference (2016) and the Music For All Southeastern Regional Concert Band Festival (2016, 2018), Troy University Middle School Band Clinic (2018), as well as the 2017 GMEA In-Service Conference in Athens, GA. The Lovinggood Band is a recipient of the 2013 GMEA Exemplary Performance Award. Mr. Heiberger’s degrees include a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Southern Mississippi as well as a Masters and Specialist Degree from Auburn University. While at the University of Southern Mississippi, he was a member of the Finale Saxophone Quartet, which was named National Champions of the Music Teacher’s National Association Chamber Music Competition (1993), as well as national finalist in the FischoV Chamber Music Competition (1993). Mr. Heiberger is a six-time recipient of the National Band Association Citation of Excellence and is listed in the December 2015 issue of SB&O Magazine as one of the “50 Directors Who Make A DiVerence”. Mr. Heiberger has served in the capacity of clinician and guest conductor on the campuses of Kennesaw State University, Georgia State University and Auburn University as well as with middle school bands across Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Missouri, and Texas. Mr. Heiberger’s professional aViliations include the Georgia Music Educators Association, the MENC, NAfME, ASBDA and the National Band Association.