Our Conductors


Dr. David Gregory
      Conductor
                 Clef Separator              Dr. Andrea D. Strauss
Associate Conductor



Dr. David Gregory

Dr. David Gregory
Conductor

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      David Gregory, Conductor of Tara Winds and Associate Professor of Music at Reinhardt College, has conducted elementary, junior high, high school, community college, university, and professional bands. A former director of bands at Hardaway High School in Columbus (GA), Forest Park High School in Forest Park (GA), and the University of Florida in Gainesville, (FL), and former Clayton County (GA) Coordinator of Instrumental Music, Dr. Gregory served as Assistant to the Superintendent in that school system for twelve years until his retirement from public school work in January 2003. Dr. Gregory is a Past President of the National Band Association and a nationally recognized clinician and speaker through his "Art of Leadership" workshops. At Reinhardt College Dr. Gregory teaches Music Education courses, conducts the Wind Ensemble, supervises student teacher interns, and is coordinator of the Music Education program. He recently was appointed the state CMENC advisor for GMEA for the 2007-09 biennium.

      Bands under Dr. Gregory's direction have received invitations to perform at virtually every music conference of regional and national significance, including the National MENC Convention, the American School Band Directors Association National Convention, the Mid- East Instrumental Music Conference, the University of South Carolina Band Clinic and Conductors' Symposium, the Western International Band Clinic, the Florida State University Tri-State Music Festival, the University of Southern Mississippi Conductors' Conference (2x), the University of Georgia High School Music Festival (4x), the CBDNA/NBA Southern Division Conference (4x), the Atlanta International Band and Orchestra Conference, the Southern Division MENC Convention (3x), the American Bandmasters Association National Convention (2x), GMEA state conferences (10x), and the Midwest Band Clinic (3x). Gregory continues to make numerous appearances as conductor, clinician, and presenter at regional and national music conferences as well as all-state and honor band events throughout the United States. He has presented clinics/workshops at the Midwest Clinic on two occasions and at the GMEA Conference five times. Tara Winds was the 1996 recipient of the Sudler "Scroll of Honor," and his Hardaway High School Band was honored by the John Philip Sousa Foundation as one of the nation's most outstanding high school programs for the decades 1960-1980. A highlight of Dr. Gregory's career is the distinct and singular honor of having been invited to perform at 35 state, regional, or national conventions.

      Many personal and professional awards, recognitions, and appointments have been awarded Dr. Gregory during his career. He has received the MAC Outstanding Bandleader award for the state of Georgia, the Southeastern United States Concert Band Clinic Citation of Excellence, the National Band Association Citation of Excellence in 1978, 1984, 1994, 1996, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006, the Phi Delta Kappa Excellence in Leadership Education Award, and the Sudler Foundation "Order of Merit." In 1998 he was inducted into the Phi Beta Mu "Georgia Bandmasters Hall of Fame" and in 2003 received the Phi Beta Mu "Outstanding Bandmaster Award" for the state of Georgia. Dr. Gregory was featured on the cover of The Instrumentalist magazine with the lead article for the April 2003 edition of that publication.

      Maintaining a regular schedule of appearances, Dr. Gregory has received invitations to serve in thirty-one states, and has conducted all-state bands in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Wisconsin, Mississippi, and Alaska. He has served as clinician and lecturer throughout the country, and his band activities have taken him across the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and the European continent where twice he has appeared as guest conductor of La Banda dell'Esercito of Rome, Italy. Additionally, in 2007 he was chosen to serve as an adjudicator for the La Bacchetta d'Oro national band contest of Italy. Currently he is a member of the John Philip Sousa Foundation "Legion of Honor" and "Sudler Scroll" Selection Committees, and he served eight years as a member of the Board of Directors for the National Band Association. His past and present professional affiliations include Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma, Phi Mu Alpha, Phi Beta Mu, the National Band Association, Music Educators National Conference, College Band Directors National Association, Georgia Music Educators Association, American School Band Directors Association, the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Phi Delta Kappa, the Florida Bandmasters Association, and the American Bandmasters Association.
Updated August 2007
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Dr. Andrea Strauss
Dr. Andrea Strauss
Associate Conductor


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       Andrea DeRenzis Strauss, Director of Bands at the Georgia Institute of Technology, holds the Bachelor and Master of Music Education degrees from the University of South Carolina with an emphasis in clarinet performance, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Music Education with a minor in conducting from the University of Southern Mississippi where she studied conducting with Dr. Thomas V. Fraschillo. At the Georgia Institute of Technology, Dr. Strauss supervises the band program, conducts the Symphonic Band and wind chamber ensembles, teaches wind literature, music theory, clarinet, conducting, and assists with the Marching Band. Under her leadership, the Symphonic Band and wind chamber ensembles have performed for the Southern Division College Band Directors National Association and National Band Association Conference, and Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conferences. International performances have included the Shanghai International Arts Festival in Shanghai, China and collaborative concerts in Beijing, China, Dublin, Ireland, and most recently, Sydney, Australia.

      Dr. Strauss is a member of the 2006-2008 Board of Directors for the National Band Association (NBA). She has served as chair for the NBA Music Education Research Committee and as the NBA Mentor Director. In addition, she has served as state chair and national representative for the NBA, the College Band Directors' National Association, and on the Board of Directors for Phi Beta Mu. Currently, Dr. Strauss serves as the National Vice President for Professional Relations for Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Service Sorority.

      Recently, Tau Beta Sigma presented Dr. Strauss with the Stanley G. Finck Memorial Award, and the 2006 Outstanding Service to Music Award. She has received the NBA Citation of Excellence and the Women Band Directors' National Association Scroll of Excellence. Dr. Strauss has been a recipient of the Georgia Institute of Technology College of Architecture Outstanding Faculty for Education and Practice Award and was selected into Omicron Delta Kappa.

      Professor Strauss is an active conductor, clinician, and adjudicator. Having taught instrumental music at the elementary, middle, high school, and college levels in Georgia, Dr. Strauss continues to teach all ages and is currently the part-time band instructor for Christ the King School in Atlanta, GA. In addition to sustaining a career in public school teaching, Dr. Strauss served as the Associate Director of the 1992-1996 Atlanta Olympic Band. Professor Strauss continues to be a clarinetist and assistant conductor of the Cobb Wind Symphony, and the Tara Winds Community Band, both of which have performed for the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Conference in Chicago, Ill.
Updated September 2007

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