Tag: band director

Mike Wilson Named AHS Interim Band Director

Mike Wilson has been named the Interim Band Director for Asheville High School and the School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville. 

He will meet with high school band students on Wednesday, March 6 before officially beginning his new position on Monday, March 25. 

Wilson will serve as Interim Band Director until the end of the current school year. Also, he will serve on the interview committee for the next Band Director along with Asheville Middle School Band Director Amy Shaffer.

“My focus is coming in and working with students to get them through the rest of the school year,” said Wilson. “I’m very excited to be there and look forward to working with the band students at Asheville High School. ”

No stranger to Asheville, Wilson taught for 30 years including the last 18 years as T.C. Roberson High School’s Band Director before retiring in July 2015. During his tenure in Buncombe County, Wilson’s concert bands performed at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Center and Atlanta Symphony Hall. Similarly, his marching bands participated in many contests throughout North Carolina and South Carolina as well as parades in Asheville, Atlanta, Chicago, Gatlinburg and Disney World.

Prior to his time at T.C. Roberson High School, Wilson taught at Andrews High School, Robbinsville High School as well as Brevard Middle and High Schools.

A native of Burnsville, Wilson graduated from Mountain Heritage High School in Yancey County, North Carolina. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from Mars Hill University as well as a Master of Science degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois. Additionally, he holds membership in the American School Band Directors Association, the North Carolina Music Educators Association and the North Carolina Bandmasters Association serving as president from 2013-2015.

In regards to his new position in Asheville City Schools, Wilson is very eager to be part of the Cougar Band Program. “If you do something for 30 years then quit cold turkey, you really miss it. I’m excited for another opportunity to get back in the classroom and play, especially at Asheville High School where I student taught back in 1985.”

Additionally, for the past two years, Wilson has assisted Asheville Middle School’s Amy Shaffer in creating an AMS Honor Band, helping put together master classes and concert performances at the middle school level.

“At the end of the day, it’s all about being there for the students,” he said.

When he’s not attending musical performances across Western North Carolina, Wilson enjoys working in the Griffing Boulevard Rose Garden Park. He also likes to spend time visiting his parents and traveling when time permits.

Please join us in welcoming Mike Wilson as the Interim Band Director of Asheville High School and the School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville. — Asheville City Schools

A meet and greet with Mr. Wilson will be held at the AHS Band Room on Monday, March 25 at 4:40pm. [Learn more…]

New Asheville High School Band Director Named

The new band director has been board approved!  We are happy to tell you that the new Director of Bands at Asheville High School will be Mr. Tim McCoy.
Mr. R. Timothy McCoy is currently the zArts Education Supervisor for New Hanover County Schools. Prior to this position, he was the Director of Bands at New Hanover High School in Wilmington, NC. He has been teaching for 25 years in the public school system in West Virginia and North Carolina.

Mr. McCoy graduated from West Liberty State College in Northern West Virginia. While in college he majored in percussion and piano. He was a part of numerous performance organizations such as marching band, concert band, percussion ensemble, jazz ensemble, steel drum band, string orchestra and choir. Mr. McCoy was also a member of the Wheeling Symphony for several years. During this time he also worked at Crescendo Camps in Rio Grande, Ohio and Lebanon Junction, Kentucky. He worked with over 128 bands in his 8 years at Crescendo.

In 1989, Mr. McCoy took the job at Oak Hill High School in Oak Hill, West Virginia. For 15 years, he led the band at this school. The school had marching, concert, jazz and percussion ensembles and he also led the Pit Orchestra on years there was a school musical.  The Oak Hill Band performed in several national festivals and won first or second place at all of them.

In 2004, Mr. McCoy and his family moved to Wilmington to become the band director of New Hanover High School.  During his time there they saw a major change in the way the band is perceived. They became a much requested group in the county and region.  The band program expanded to have a full big band jazz ensemble, a percussion ensemble, a competitive Winterguard program and a 14 member steel drum band.  They usually performed 75 to 100 times a year and in 2012 won the first Overall Marching Band Grand Championship in New Hanover High School history.

Mr. McCoy is also a performing musician in Wilmington, playing for many musicals at Thalian Hall with Opera House Theater Company and the Thalian Association, and also as a freelance musician with different organizations around town.  Several of his students have been able to join him in these musicals, which make it that much more enjoyable.  He also plays drums and keys for his Church. Mr. McCoy lives in Wilmington with his awesome wife Mary and two phenomenal daughters, Rachel (a New Hanover Senior) and Tamara.

He will begin work at Asheville High School the first week of July.