Tanya Carmichael

AHS band director, member earn national accolades

A national publication honored Alleghany High School's band director and one of her students in its December 2002 issue.

School Band and Orchestra (SBO) magazine selected Tanya Carmichael to represent North Carolina in its annual feature "50 Directors Who Make a Difference."

The Needham, Mass.-based publication also named Trent Chappell, percussionist with the AHS Trojan Pride band, to its National Student Honor Roll.

In its introduction, SBO stated that directors — one for each state — are selected based on their qualities of leadership and inspiration as well as their dedication to excellence and to giving students all they have to offer. The magazine's editorial staff considers recommendations from state music educators' associations and other organizations in the music education field.

"A Complete Shock"

According to an SBO press release, the 50 were chosen out of about 20,000 school band and orchestra directors.

The magazine quoted Carmichael as saying, "Every time my students play, they put so much of their confidence and heart into the music that I often forget the assumption that small bands should not be playing at their caliber. I am very proud of all that they have done over the past two years."

Carmichael said that of the 50 music directors recognized, she is the youngest and the director with the smallest program. She is only in her second year of teaching, with 25 students in the high school band program.

While recognized primarily for her efforts at AHS, Carmichael is also teacher/director of the band program at Sparta School.

"The most important lesson I have learned as a music educator is that I cannot do everything on my own," Carmichael said in the SBO feature.

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