WAYNE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
YELLOW JACKET BAND
DIRECTORS & STAFF
ANDY HURSEY
DIRECTOR OF BANDS
Andy Hursey is the new Director of Bands at Wayne County High School and is entering his 21st year of teaching band. Prior to coming to Wayne Co High School, Mr. Hursey taught for 15 and 1/2 years as the Director of Bands at Perry High School in Perry, GA, 3 and 1/2 years as the Assistant Director of Bands in both Perry High School and Perry Middle School, and one year as Director of Bands at The Academy of Richmond County High School in Augusta, GA.
During his time at Perry High School, Mr. Hursey built the band program into a state recognized powerhouse in both marching and concert bands. The Perry High School "Panther Regiment" has won SIX Grand Championships in marching band throughout the state under Mr. Hursey's direction and has earned a reputation of being a trend-setting, crowd entertaining band. The Concert Bands at PHS have consistently received Superior Ratings at the yearly Georgia Large Group Performance Evaluations, with multiple bands performing level III-VI music.
Other awards and honors include 2009 Perry High School Teacher of the Year and Top Ten Finalist for Houston County's System Teacher of the Year, one of three bands in the United States selected to perform at Chicago Symphony Hall for the Percy Grainger Wind Festival, guest performance with Mercer University Wind Ensemble at the Macon Grand Opera House, and numerous marching awards in addition to the six Grand Championships.
Students in Mr. Hursey's band program consistently make District, Region, and All-State Bands each year. Mr. Hursey has had several students continue in music after college and has several former students who are now band directors (including two former students that took over Perry Middle and High Schools). Other student accolades include Golden Eagle Winners in Music and two GHP participants selected.
Mr. Hursey has served three and a half terms as Band Chair of the Georgia Music Educators Association District XI, hosted GMEA Honor Band Auditions, LGPE, and has served on the GMEA Marching Band Committee.
Originally from Charleston, SC, Mr. Hursey graduated from Houston County High School in Warner Robins, GA and attended Georgia Southern University for one year before transferring to and graduating from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelors of Music Education. Later, Mr. Hursey received his Masters of Post Secondary Education from Troy University. He is married to his best friend, Christy Hursey and has two step children, Hannah and Evan as well as a foster parent to a former student Ivy. The Hurseys currently live in Brunswick, GA.
CHRISTY HURSEY
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF BANDS
Christy Hursey has been Director of Bands at Perry Middle School in Perry,
Georgia since 1999. A native of Powder Springs, Georgia she received her
Bachelors of Music Education Degree from the University of Georgia in 1996.
While at UGA she was a member of the Redcoat Marching Band, Symphonic
Band, and Wind Ensemble as well as a member of the Athens Symphony. Since
graduating she has performed with Tara Winds Community Band and has been a
member of the faculty at ENCORE! Music Camps. In 2008 she received her
Masters Degree in Music Education from Boston University.
While at Perry Middle School, her bands have consistently received Superior
ratings at GMEA concert festivals. She has created small ensembles such as Flute
Ensembles, Woodwind Ensembles, Brass Ensembles, Percussion Ensembles and
Jazz Ensembles which have performed all over the state of Georgia. She has
organized the District Honor Band (2002-2004) and has organized the final All-
State Band auditions (2001-present).
Professional affiliations include Georgia Music Educators Association, National Band Association, Professional Association of Georgia Educators, and Sigma Alpha Iota. She is married to Andy Hursey (Band Director at Wayne Co. High) and has two wonderful children, Hannah and Evan.
CHRIS HARPER
DIRECTOR, MARTHA PUCKET MIDDLE SCHOOL
Chris Harper, a native of Conyers, Georgia, is in his 22nd year in music education and is currently the band director at Martha Puckett Middle School in Jesup, Georgia. He earned his music education degrees from Valdosta State University (2001) and Troy University (2009). Mr. Harper is pursuing his Doctor of Music Education degree at Liberty University. He is active as a consultant and guest conductor for band programs throughout the region. Additionally, Mr. Harper has served as an interviewer for participant selection for the Governor's Honors Program in instrumental music for over 15 years.
As a conductor, Mr. Harper studied the psychology of musician motivation from a conductor's perspective and advanced conducting with the late renowned educator and conductor, Dr. Dale Lonis, through a three-level program: The Canadian Wind Conductors Development Program in Manitoba, Canada. Additionally, Mr. Harper is a noted authority on the Saito Conducting Method, studying with Wayne Toews and Morihiro Okabe in Saskatchewan, Canada (2006).
Mr. Harper holds professional affiliations with the National Association for Music Education, Georgia Music Educators Association, National Band Association, and the Professional Association of Georgia Educators. He is listed in numerous editions of Who's Who in America, The World, and American Education. Mr. Harper has been featured in The Instrumentalist magazine, an international publication for band pedagogy, for his ideas of ensemble programming, integration of music technology within a wind band program, and practices for recruitment/retention of band students.
Mr. Harper has presented at music conferences in Georgia, Iowa, Nebraska, Alabama, South Dakota, New Mexico, and the NAfME National Conference. His sessions Recruiting and Retention of Students in Rural Areas, Finding Motivation to Teach During Uncertain Times, Creating Meaningful Music Programs in Rural Settings, Techniques to Maximize Your Recruitment and Retention in Small Schools, and You Got the Call for the Interview, Now What? have been well received by his audiences.
His hobbies include thinking, research, and historical world events. Mr. Harper considers himself a life-long learner in his career. He is married to Kaye Harper, a mathematics teacher, with two stepchildren, Aden and Kaley.
SAMMY ALDAY
DIRECTOR, ARTHUR WILLIAMS MIDDLE SCHOOL
Mr. Sammy W. Alday is in his first year of teaching at Arthur Williams Middle School in Jesup, Georgia. Mr. Alday is a recent graduate of Troy University with his Undergraduate Degree in Music Education-Instrumental. During his time at Troy, Mr. Alday was the Head Drum Major for the Sound of the South Marching Band, Principal Chair French Horn in Symphony Band, and also student conductor.
KENZLEE SIMS
MAJORETTE COACH
ANDREA WILLIS
MAJORETTE COACH
DAVID MICHAEL SINGLETON
COLOR GUARD INSTRUCTOR
David Michael Singleton (Coach Sing), a Bradwell Institute alum, is starting his second year as a sixth grade Social Studies teacher at Arthur Williams Middle School and his second year as a Guard Director with the Wayne County High School Marching Band.
Singleton’s color guard journey began at Bradwell Institute where he learned to spin and began to take dance lessons his senior year. This led him to being part of the Southern Pride Color Guard, where he served as a captain the 2017 season. Singleton has experience teaching successful color guard programs such as Burke County High School, Bradwell Institute, May River High School, Long County High School, and his alma mater, Georgia Southern. This will be his seventh season as a director/choreographer.
Coach Sing is a Hinesville, GA native and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Studies with a minor in Theater from Georgia Southern University. He is currently pursuing a MAT in Middle Grades: Social Studies at Liberty University.
LESLIE MANSFIELD
FRONT ENSEMBLE INSTRUCTOR
Leslie Mansfield, a Wayne County alum, is finishing her education degree at College of Coastal Georgia. She is in her second year as front ensemble instructor for the Wayne County High School Marching Band.
