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Time:

Thursday
December, 15, 2016
01:30 PM - 02:15 PM

Location:

Ballroom W190

Category

PERCUSSION ENSEMBLES

Conductor

Megan Wike

Performer Details

Performer Bio Synopsis

The Ridgeview Middle School Band from Round Rock, Texas is quickly becoming one of the premier middle school band programs in the greater Austin area. Headed by Megan Wike, the band programs offers some of the top masterclass and private lesson instruction in the state of Texas. For the past two years, the Ridgeview Honor Band and Symphonic Select ensembles have received multiple “Superior” and “Sweepstakes” ratings at UIL Concert and Sight Reading Contests. Percussionists at Ridgeview have established themselves as dedicated musicians whose achievements showcase a broad range of talent and skill. Students have been consistently successful in Region Band auditions, and each of the four percussion classes perform multiple high-level ensembles a year. Recently, 17 individual Ridgeview Percussion students received “Superior” ratings on their solos at the Round Rock ISD Solo and Ensemble competition and one of our students received an “Outstanding Soloist” award. The Midwest Clinic will be the first time Ridgeview Middle School will be featured on a national and international stage. The staff and students of the Ridgeview Band are thankful for this wonderful, humbling opportunity.

Ridgeview Middle School Percussion Ensemble

Conductor's Bio

Megan Wike is a native of Katy, Texas and has lived in the Austin area since 2011. Mrs. Wike earned her bachelor's degree in 2009 from the University of Houston with a double major in music education and clarinet performance. She graduated summa cum laude and performed three solo recitals. At the University of Houston Mrs. Wike had the honor of performing as principal clarinet in the Wind Ensemble under the batons of Tom Bennett and David Bertman, in addition to receiving weekly instruction from Eddie Green. Mrs. Wike continued her education at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida where she earned her master's degree in clarinet performance in 2011. She was awarded a Henry Mancini Fellowship at UM which enabled her to teach undergraduate classes and to perform in the Mancini Institute Orchestra. Mrs. Wike had the privilege of performing in the Frost Wind Ensemble conducted by Gary Green and the Frost Symphony Orchestra conducted by Thomas Sleeper. She was also the runner-up in the Frost Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition in 2010. Mrs. Wike is passionate about clarinet performance and pedagogy. She maintains a small studio of clarinet students in the Round Rock area and has student successes at the Region and All-State levels. In collaboration with camp founder Gina Scheer, Mrs. Wike became the director of the first annual Lone Star Clarinet Camp (Round Rock location) in June 2016 with over 50 middle school participants. She has performed locally with the Round Rock Symphony and Austin Civic Orchestra and values personal musical growth. Mrs. Wike is currently serving in her third year as the Director of Bands at Ridgeview Middle School in Round Rock, Texas. At Ridgeview Mrs. Wike teaches the Honor Band as well as beginner saxophone, flute, and clarinet classes. The RMS Honor Band has earned straight Division One ratings at UIL Concert and Sight Reading since Mrs. Wike has been teaching. This is her sixth year to teach in Round Rock ISD, and she was previously an assistant band director at Cedar Ridge High School and C.D. Fulkes Middle School. Her professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Bandmasters Association, and the International Clarinet Association. Aside from music and teaching, Mrs. Wike is an active runner. She will participate in the Austin Distance Challenge this year and will complete her second full marathon in Miami in January 2017. She has been married to her husband Chris for five years, and they enjoy spending time with their two dogs, Bessie and Scout.

Additional Directors

Tyler Dempsey

Rick Rodriguez

Mason Voskamp

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