We’re bringing The Summer Leadership Institute to you! Join us in our 2021 Virtual Summer Leadership Institute as we host keynote speaker Fran Kick with breakout leaders Bridget Wildes, David Roth, Jeff Harper, Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin, and Matt McCord. Gather at your school as we provide director-facilitated, in-house leadership training for your ensemble. This one-day virtual event is a place where students from around the United States come together to learn effective leadership strategies and skills that will equip them for leading themselves, their sections, and their ensemble.
The 2021 Keynote Speaker, FRAN KICK, will share sessions designed to motivate and inspire young musicians. As a group, you will attend interactive keynote sessions and discussions with our breakout faculty which focus on communication, team building, problem-solving, public speaking, and more. The Summer Leadership Institute is the place to get a head start on next year’s thinking today, make connections, get new ideas, and learn practical strategies from experienced educators and clinicians in the field.
Fran Kick is an author and certified speaking professional who has inspired audiences to kick it in and take the lead since 1986. Since taking an educational leave of absence from teaching at both the public school and college levels, Fran Kick has developed what began as a part-time speaking adventure into a full-time professional mission. Today, Fran presents over one hundred programs every year across the U.S. and Canada to thousands of college, high school, junior high, and middle school students, plus the many educational professionals who work with them. Let’s KICK IT IN with Mr. Fran Kick!
FRAN KICK is an author, educational consultant and professional speaker who knows What Makes Kids KICK! He is the creator and presenter of KICK IT IN® a series of self-motivational personal leadership presentations and materials. Since taking an educational leave of absence from teaching, he has developed his part-time speaking adventure into a full-time mission. Today, Fran presents over one hundred programs every year across the U.S. and Canada to thousands of college/university, high school, junior high/middle school students, plus the many people who work with them. In addition, he works with association, convention and corporate organizations who are actively engaged in teaching and reaching today’s kids. Fran speaks at many state, regional & national conferences about What Makes Kids KICK and how they can KICK IT IN & TAKE THE LEAD. He has his B.A. in Education and a M.A. in Educational Psychology. From fifth-grade students to Fortune 500 professionals Fran Kick always KICKs IT IN!
SCHEDULE
Opening Keynote Session
Breakout Session #1
with Jeff Harper and David Roth
Breakout Session #2
with Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin
Break
Q&A Lunch Session
with Dr. Chester Phillips
Keynote Session
Break
Breakout Session #3
with Bridget Wildes
Breakout Session #4
with Matt McCord
Closing Keynote Session
COMPREHENSIVE LEADERSHIP TRAINING
Learn the skills you need to lead!
Rehearsal Skills
Section Leader Skills
Team Building
Group Management Fundamentals
Problem-Solving Skill Development
Personal Growth
Jeff Harper
Lassiter High School
Mr. Jeff Harper is currently in his fifth year as Associate Director of Bands at Lassiter High School in Marietta, GA. Prior to his appointment at Lassiter, Mr. Harper served as the Director of Bands at McEachern High School in Powder Springs, GA. While at McEachern, the band program was selected as a feature group for the 2012 University of Georgia High School Music Festival and selected as a feature group at the 2013 Georgia Music Educator’s Association. Before his appointment at McEachern High School, he was the Associate Director of Bands at Kennesaw Mountain High School from 2000 to 2009 and Director of Bands at the West Cobb School (1998-2000). While teaching at Kennesaw Mountain High School, the band program received acclaim through national and regional performances including the Midwest Band and Orchestra clinic, Bands of America, and Winterguard International. Mr. Harper received a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Georgia and a Master of Music Education Degree from the University of Illinois. While at UGA, Mr. Harper studied trumpet with Albert Ligotti, Moffit Williams, and Fred Mills. His conducting teachers include Dr. Dwight Satterwhite, Dr. John Culvahouse, and Mr. James Keene. Also, Mr. Harper was Drum Major of the University’s Redcoat Marching Band. Mr. Harper was a member of the Cadets of Bergen County Drum and Bugle Corps from Bergenfield, New Jersey in 1996 and In 1998, was a staff member with the Cadets, who won the Drum Corps International World Championship. Mr. Harper serves as a guest clinician throughout the country for presenting sessions to marching bands, concert bands and leadership seminars. In 2002, Mr. Harper began judging for both Drum Corps International and Bands of America and continues to judge throughout the United States and abroad. Mr. Harper has recently served as an adjudicator/clinician for Drum Corps Japan (2009/2011) and the Japan Marching Band Association (2010). In 2012, Mr. Harper was inducted in to Phi Beta Mu and became a four-time recipient of the Citation Excellence Award presented by the National Band Association in 2012, 2013 and 2018. In addition to judging, Mr. Harper has held annual leadership camps and clinics for students at the University of Georgia and Georgia State University. Mr. Harper currently resides with his husband and son in Kennesaw, Georgia.
This will be Jeff Harper’s tenth year serving on faculty for the Summer Leadership Institute.
Matthew McCord
McDonough, GA
Matthew M. McCord is an accomplished attorney who has helped many clients in the Atlanta area with both criminal defense and personal injury cases. The Law Office of Matthew M. McCord, P.C. is based in McDonough, Georgia. McCord provides clients in Atlanta, Jonesboro, Fayetteville, and the surrounding cities and counties with aggressive, passionate, and informed representation. After receiving his law degree from Georgia State University College of Law, McCord worked as a prosecutor for the government as well as a defense attorney for insurance companies. He spent two years working for the Clayton County solicitor general and one year as an assistant district attorney for Newton County. These experiences gave him the well-rounded perspective he brings to his practice today. Matthew McCord also holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of South Carolina, Columbia.
Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin
Penn State University
Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin is Director of Wind Band Studies and Assistant Professor of Music at Penn State University. In addition to conducting the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, overseeing the graduate wind conducting program, teaching courses in wind band literature and wind conducting, she oversees all aspects of the concert band programs at Penn State. Her appointment at PSU follows three years as Assistant Director of Bands and Associate Director of Athletic Bands at the University of South Carolina. Prior to her tenure at UofSC, Tonya taught at Valdosta State University as Director of Athletic Bands and was Director of Bands at Chamblee High School in Chamblee, Georgia.
Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin has a diverse background as a clinician, adjudicator, educator, and speaker. She is a frequent guest conductor, and has presented regionally at the South Carolina Music Educators Association Conference, nationally at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, internationally at the International Society for the Promotion of Wind Band in Austria, and has served as Tau Beta Sigma’s local and national Women in Music Speaker.
As a proponent of new music, she is engaged in building the wind band medium. She led the consortium and premiere of Aaron Perrine’s Beneath a Canvas of Green for wind ensemble and percussion quartet which was also the source of her doctoral dissertation. Additionally, she is active in a number of premieres and consortiums for new music.
Tonya serves as the National Vice President of Professional Relations for Tau Beta Sigma: National Honorary Band Sorority. She also holds memberships in Kappa Kappa Psi, the College Band Directors National Association, National Association for Music Education, and Women Band Directors International.
David Roth
Kell High School
David Roth joined the faculty at Kell High School as the Assistant Director of Bands in 2008 and was named Director of Bands in 2011. Under his direction, the Kell Wind Ensemble has performed at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic (2017), the Music For All Southeastern Regional Concert Festival (2017), the GMEA State Convention (2016), and the January High School Music Festival (JanFest) in Athens, GA (2013). In 2010, the Kell Wind Symphony performed at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, and the marching band won two BOA Regional Championships. Prior to joining the Kell program, Mr. Roth was the Assistant Director of Bands at Kennesaw Mountain High School where he conducted the Kennesaw Mountain Wind Symphony at the 2006 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic and was a part of multiple BOA regional championship marching bands between 2004-2008.
A native of Marietta, Georgia, Mr. Roth graduated magna cum laude from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and Music Composition and earned his Master’s degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois. He was a member of the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps from 2000-2003, serving as the corps’ drum major from 2001-2003. While a member of Carolina Crown, he helped found the Carolina Crown Student Leadership Task Force, an initiative aimed at enhancing the level of student leadership within the corps that is still in effect today.
Mr. Roth is currently an active clinician, guest lecturer, adjudicator, and music arranger across the Southeast. His professional affiliations include Phi Beta Mu, the National Band Association, Pi Kappa Lambda, Georgia Music Educator’s Association, Music Educator’s National Conference, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Mr. Roth lives in Kennesaw, GA with his husband Jeff and seven-year old son Jacob.
Bridget Wildes
Buford High School
Bridget Wildes is currently in her first year in the Buford High School Fine Arts Department after serving seven years as the Associate Director of Bands at Mill Creek High School in Hoschton, Georgia. Mrs. Wildes is a native of Lawrenceville, Georgia and received her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Georgia State University in 2013 and Master of Music in Music Education in 2019 from Kent State University. While at GSU, she was a member of the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Wind Orchestra, and Symphony Orchestra. She also served as one of the inaugural drum majors of the GSU Panther Marching Band. Mrs. Wildes studied oboe with Dr. Lara Dahl and conducting with Dr. Robert Ambrose, Dr. Chester Phillips and Dr. David Vandewalker.
Mrs. Wildes currently assists with the band programs at both Buford High School and Buford Middle School, including the Marching Band of Wolves. She also works closely with the Buford High School Theater department, assisting with musical theater and the One Act Play competition. During her time at Mill Creek High School, their ensembles were invited to perform at the Kennesaw State University Concert Band Invitational, the Music for All Southeastern Regional Concert Band Festival at Georgia State University, the Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference, the University of Georgia January Music Festival, the University of Alabama Honor Band Clinic and the 2019 Music for All National Concert Band Festival as a featured ensemble. The marching band was a consistent grand champion at marching band competitions, ten time Bands of America Regional Finalist, and three time BOA Class AAAA Regional Champion. The Mill Creek Winds were also named two time WGI Winds World Championship Silver Medalists.
Bridget Wildes is an active clinician, adjudicator and freelance musician, as well as a member of the Georgia Music Educators Association and the National Band Association. She is the current District 13 High School Band Chair, and plays an active role in the organization of District 13 events. She has presented twice at the GMEA In-Service Conference- in 2019 on developing and maintaining student leadership and in 2020 on taking the next step in your program to reach your goals. She has also been an invited clinician at the Georgia State University Summer Leadership Institute and Georgia State University Double Reed Day. Bridget and her husband Jacob, a band director as well, reside in Suwanee with their four year old son, Caleb, and their newborn daughter, Kerry Beth.
Dr. Chester Phillips
Georgia State University
A native of Newnan, GA, Chester B. Phillips is in his twelfth year as Associate Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands at Georgia State University. His primary responsibilities include conducting the Wind Orchestra, establishing and directing the marching band, teaching conducting and overseeing all facets of the athletic bands. Under his leadership, the Georgia State Panther Band has received several honors and accolades including participation in the 2014 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, performing in the Pepsi Super Bowl LIII Halftime show (2019), marching in the 57th Presidential Inaugural Parade, a national top-ten honor by the 2013 College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), a top-five honor by the 2012, 2016, and 2020 Southern Division of CBDNA, and an invitation to participate in the 2022 Tournament of Roses Parade.
Prior to his appointment at Georgia State, Dr. Phillips taught for seven years as the Associate Director of Bands at Harrison High School in Kennesaw, Georgia and for two years in the Gwinnett County public schools at the middle and high school level.
Chester Phillips received the Bachelor of Music degree in music education from the University of Georgia, the Master of Music degree in music education from the University of Illinois and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in wind conducting at the University of Georgia. His principal conducting teachers have been John P. Lynch and James Keene. He is affiliated with professional organizations that include the National Band Association, College Band Directors National Association, National Association for Music Education, Georgia Music Educators Association, Drum Corps International, Music for All and Conn-Selmer.
T. Devin Reid
Georgia State University
T. Devin Reid is currently an active musician and educator throughout the southeast. A native of Fayetteville, NC, Mr. Reid is a 2005 recipient of the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Scholarship. He holds a Master of Music in Wind Band Conducting from Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
In 2018 Mr. Reid accepted the position as Assistant Director of Bands at Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA. Prior to this, Mr. Reid served as the interim assistant director of bands for two years. In this capacity he co-teaches the Panther Marching Band, conducts the Basketball Band, conducts the University Concert Band, teaches undergraduate and graduate level conducting courses, and supervises student teachers in the field. Since his arrival, the GSU Concert Band has grown to become the largest instrumental concert ensemble at the university. With Mr. Reid’s direction, the GSU Panther Band performed in 2019 as part of the Pepsi Super Bowl LIII Halftime Show, been accepted as a CBDNA Southern Region top marching band in 2020, and been accepted to perform in the 2022 Tournament of Roses Parade.
Mr. Reid has presented clinics and workshops at numerous state music conventions. He is a recurrent guest conductor at the International Euphonium and Tuba Festival. He is also an active concert band and marching band clinician and adjudicator throughout Georgia, Virginia and North Carolina. He is a member of the National Association for Music Education, College Band Directors National Association, American String Teacher’s Association and is an endorser for Sabian Cymbals.
FEES & REGISTRATION
School groups should plan to meet at their school with their director. Our faculty will lead sessions facilitated by the director, with opportunities for group discussion and activities. Each registration cost is per school, regardless of the number of students in attendance or classrooms in use. If ensembles are unable to meet at their school as a group, an Individual Registration will be required for each student.
Group Registration Cost:
$250 per school
For the best experience, we encourage school groups to meet together in their classrooms, however, for individuals whose schools are not participating in the Summer Leadership Institute, an Individual Registration is available. Individual Registrations include access to the full day’s schedule of sessions.
Individual Registration Cost:
$50 per person