Flute
Clarinet
Connie Cathey
[email protected] |
Connie Cathey is an avid supporter of the Columbia Band Program. As graduate of Central, she received a clarinet scholarship to Middle Tennessee State University where she received her Bachelor of Music Degree. She has also earned her M.Ed (Master of Education) degree from MTSU and her Ed.S. (Education Specialist) from Tennessee State University. She taught at Whitthorne for five years and Central for twenty-three years.
Her tenure in Columbia produced award-winning marching and concert programs. The band won Grand Champions, Tennessee State Marching Champions, and qualified for finals nineteen consecutive years at the prestigious Contest of Champions. The Band competed nationally at Bands of America. The band received the Tennessee Bandmasters Sweepstakes Award numerous times after receiving Superior Awards in Concert, Sight reading and Marching. Columbia had the distinction of having three concert bands; the Wind Symphony, the Symphonic Band, and the Freshman Concert Band all qualifying and appearing at State Concert Festival. The band traveled extensively and performed in many national venues including Washington, D.C., Miami, Orlando, Phoenix, Honolulu, Atlanta, Pensacola, St. Louis, and New Orleans. Mrs. Cathey is an adjudicator for both concert festivals and marching contests in the southeast. |
Double Reeds
Saxophone
Trumpet
Horn
Joseph Demko
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Joseph Demko is an active performer throughout middle Tennessee and beyond, and currently holds the positions of Second Horn in the Albany (NY) Symphony Orchestra, Second Horn in Opera Saratoga, and Fourth Horn in the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera. Joseph regularly performs with the Jackson Symphony, Orchestra Kentucky, Gateway Chamber Orchestra, Nashville Opera, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Huntsville Symphony Orchestra, Intersection Contemporary Music Ensemble, and many other groups in middle Tennessee and beyond. Joseph is also a studio recording artist in Nashville, and can be heard in many movies, television shows, video games, and commercial albums.
Before coming to Tennessee, Joseph spent thirteen years as a freelance musician in Boston, and has performed with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, New Haven Symphony, New Hampshire Music Festival, Emmanuel Music, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Tucson Symphony, and many others. He has performed on many recordings with the Albany Symphony Orchestra, including the GRAMMY award-winning recording of Conjurer by John Corigliano on the Naxos label, and the GRAMMY nominated recording of Seeing by Christopher Rouse, also on the Naxos label. Joseph has shared the stage with many of the greatest artists of our time, such as Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, Yefim Bronfman, Emmanuel Ax, Peter Serkin, Dame Evelyn Glennie, Joyce Yang, Stefan Jackiw, Orion Weiss, Deborah Voigt, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Josh Groban, and many others. He has performed professionally at Carnegie Hall, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Boston’s Symphony Hall, and at many other venues all over the United States. As an active music educator, Joseph teaches privately in Nashville and in the Maury County Schools. Before moving to Nashville, he spent over a decade as the horn instructor for the Wellesley Public Schools, and for the Dana Hall School. Joseph holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Daniel Katzen and Richard Mackey of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He also studied both horn and conducting with Sylvia Alimena of the National Symphony Orchestra, and horn with Deborah Stephenson of the US Air Force Band. He is a member of the American Federation of Musicians as well as a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (GRAMMY awards). Joseph started playing horn in the Alexandria, VA public schools. In his free time he enjoys cooking, gardening, and spending time with his wife Carly and their tripod Jack Russel Terrier “Q”. |
Trombone, Euphonium, & Tuba
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Desmond Ng is a graduate of California State University Northridge where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies. While in college, Desmondstudied with Bob McChesney and was a member of the university’s top ensembles, including the internationally ranked Jazz “A” Band which performed in the 55th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival. After completing his undergraduate studies, Desmondtoured around many different countries on the Norwegian Pearl as a member of the show band orchestra. Soon after finishing his contract, Desmondmoved to Nashville where he quickly established himself as a reputable trombonist, performing with such groups as the Nashville Jazz Orchestra, Fisk Jubilee Singers, and even Craig Wayne Boyd during the 2017 CMA Fest. Desmond is also very comfortable playing in a variety of styles which has allowed him to work as a studio musician recording for various local artists.
Both an established performer and experienced teacher, Desmond has taught private lessons and group masterclasses since his days in high school. During his senior year of high school, Desmond solely organized, hosted, and managed an all day educational event aptly titled “Low Brass Blast.” During this event, students received masterclasses and had the opportunity to perform with legendary musicians Sam Pilafian, David Vining, Ryan Haines, and Patrick Stuckemeyer. |
Percussion
Johnny Richeson
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Originally from Woodbridge, Virginia, Johnny Richeson moved to Pawleys Island, South Carolina in 2005. He began teaching himself to play the drums a year later. At age 13, his parents were taking him to local venues to watch other musicians and sit in with their bands, helping him develop his musical intuition. He was working as a musician at age 15, and by 18 he was playing full-time in the Myrtle Beach area.
Johnny started his formal musical training in college, and has studied with several world-class teachers and players, including: Derrek Phillips (Hank Williams, Jr., Robben Ford, Gloria Gaynor), Matt White (Rihanna, Bob Mintzer, Jeff Coffin), Jesse Willis (Coastal Carolina University), and Lalo Davila (Middle Tennesee State University). His career has given him a diverse musical sensibility; he has experience playing rock, funk, salsa, soca/calypso, reggae, ska, R&B, jazz, and classical. He has performed with artists such as: Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band, Béla Fleck and the Flecktones), Crissy Collins (Beyoncé), Howard Levy (Béla Fleck and the Flecktones), Carl Stewart (B.B. King) Dara Tucker, David Williford, Jackson Bruck and the Dukes of Hume (Lightning 100’s Music City Mayhem winner 2018), and more. In addition to performing, he is passionate about sharing his love for music with others through teaching. In June 2018, Johnny traveled to Colombia, South America to play and teach at jazz camps around the country for the Colombo Americano organization. He served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Middle Tennessee State Univsersity, where he taught the Band of Blue drumline, salsa band, percussion ensemble, and percussion lessons. He has also given clinics about drum set and world percussion. Johnny holds a B.A. in Music Performance from Coastal Carolina University, and a M.M. in Jazz Studies from Middle Tennessee State University. He currently lives in Nashville, Tenneseee, where he is an active drummer, percussionist, and educator. |
