About The Directors

Dr. Jackson begins his 12th year as the Director of Bands at Dodgen Middle School for the 2009-2010 school year,  and his 31st year as a professional educator.  Under Dr. Jackson's direction,  the Dodgen Bands consistently receive straight superior ratings from all adjudicators in the areas of concert performance and sight-reading at the annual GMEA performance evaluation. Dodgen's Band Program is recognized for having placed 29 students in the Georgia All-State Band between the years 2002 and 2010.  In addition to this honor, over 100 Dodgen Band students earn the highest rating of superior for performances at the GMEA Solo & Ensemble Evaluation each year. Under Dr. Jackson's direction, the Dodgen morning ensemble program has grown to include 9 ensembles which meet weekly before school in addition to daily band classes for grades 6, 7, and 8.  The Dodgen Band places over 20 students each year in the GMEA District 12 Honor Band with many earning principal first chair positions! Dr. Jackson has had many private trumpet and trombone students earn prestigious first chair positions in the Georgia High School and Middle School All-State Bands over the past 25 years. Prior to his appointment at Dodgen, Dr. Jackson served as Director of Jr. High School Bands in the Meridian Separate Public School System in Meridian, Mississippi (1979-1985).  He left his duties in Meridian to accept the position as Director of Bands at Campbell High School in Smyrna, Georgia, where he remained for eight years (1985-1992).  Following his appointment at Campbell, Dr. Jackson served as Director of Bands at Garrett Middle school for five years (1993-1998).  Over the past 31 years, in addition to the annual GMEA performance evaluations, his bands have been awarded numerous superior ratings at regional, state, and international music festivals and competitions. In addition to his duties and responsibilities at Dodgen, Dr. Jackson maintains an active performance career on the trumpet.  He performs frequently  as a soloist and in chamber ensembles throughout the Metro Atlanta area and has performed throughout Florida, Mississippi and Illinois.  Current memberships include the Cobb Wind Symphony, the Les Still Big Band, and the North Georgia Brass Quintet.          

     Dr. Jackson earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Southern Mississippi (1979), and studied conducting with  Dr. Joe Barry Mullins.  He earned the Master of Science degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois (1984).  While at Illinois, Dr. Jackson studied trumpet with recording artist David Hickman and was a conducting student of Dr. Harry Begian.  He also performed in the University of Illinois Band under the Direction of Dr. Begian.  In 1994, Dr. Jackson earned his Education Specialist degree in Instrumental Music Education from Georgia State University and studied trumpet with Dr. Steve Winick, and was a conducting student of Jim Curnow. His Specialist thesis was titled: The Effects of Participation in High School Instrumental Music Ensembles On Adult Musical Activity and Musical Preference.  The Doctor of Musical Arts degree was completed in 2008 at the Shenandoah Conservatory, in Winchester, Virginia. Dr. Jackson's dissertation was titled: Effectiveness of Preservice Experience and Course Work in Music Education toward Teacher Self-Efficacy in Classroom Management. He has served as  guest conductor for the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony at Emory University and has served as guest conductor/clinician for several high school and middle school concert bands in the Greater Atlanta area. In addition to his conducting appointments, he has served as a trumpet clinician for both middle and high school trumpet sections and has presented a series of clinics at Illinois State University for the Bands of America (Music for All) summer symposium in 2007, 2008, and 2009.   As part of the DMA degree, Dr. Jackson was a trumpet student of Mark Hughes (Atlanta Symphony Orchestra) and a conducting student of Dr. Scott Stewart (Emory University). As a performing member and Vice President of the Cobb Wind Symphony, Dr. Jackson was recently awarded the Sudler Silver Scroll, North America's most prestigious award for community concert bands. He performed with the Cobb Wind Symphony at the 2003 Midwest Clinic in Chicago, Illinois.

     Dr. Jackson's professional and honorary affiliations include GMEA, MENC, P.A.G.E., Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Kappa Kappa Psi, Pi Kappa Lambda, Omicron Delta Kappa, Phi Eta Sigma and Kappa Delta Pi.  In 1991, Dr. Jackson was one of only two music educators selected by the  Southern Bell company in the State of Georgia to study with the London Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Slava Rostropovich, for ten days during their residency in central Florida.  Honors awarded to Dr. Jackson include: Nationally Registered Music Educator (MENC, 1991); Nationally Certified Music Educator (MENC, 1991); Who's Who Among America's Teachers (1991); Who's Who Among America's Teachers (1996); Who's Who Among America's Teachers (2002); Who's Who Among America's Teachers (2003); Who's Who Among America's Teachers, (2005-2006); Teacher of the Year, Garrett Middle School (1997-98).  Teacher of the Year, Dodgen Middle School (2004-2005); Guest Clinician/Conductor for the Atlanta Trumpet Ensemble's Annual Trumpet Festival held at Emory University 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2009.  Dr. Jackson served the Georgia Music Educators Association from 2002 through 2004 as Chairman for District 12, a position overseeing all public and private schools in Cobb and Douglas counties (over 24,000 music students)  and served two years on the State  Board of Directors for the Georgia Music Educator's Association.  He was recognized with a Congressional Proclamation which was read before the Georgia State Congress for being named a Georgia STAR teacher.  The Dodgen Band Program was given international recognition through an interview with Dr. Jackson which was recently published in the Instrumentalist Magazine (August 2005). The Dodgen Band Program was recognized by the Mark of Excellence National Wind Band Honors in the spring of 2008, the only music ensemble in Georgia to receive this honor!

     Dr. Jackson was born and raised in Miami, Florida and is married to the former Jane M. Sykes of Hattiesburg, Mississippi.  They have four children, Mary (26), Vincent (24), Stephen (21), and Angela (10).
 
 

Mr. Jeffres has been the Assistant Director of Bands at Dodgen Middle School since 1995.  Prior to his appointment at Dodgen, Mr. Jeffres taught Band and General Music for one year (1994-95) in Brookfield, Illinois.  He also served as Saxophone instructor at Emory University in Atlanta for 9 years.  Under Mr. Jeffres' direction, Dodgen's bands and ensembles have earned numerous superior ratings at the GMEA Large Group Performance Evaluation, Solo & Ensemble Evaluation, and Jazz Festival.  He has prepared numerous students to earn spots in the Georgia All-State Band.  His private students have won the coveted first chair all-state spot seven times in just the last few years!  Mr. Jeffres maintains an active performance career on the saxophone.  He has been lead alto sax with Still Swingin' (a vintage style swing band) since 1999, and has played alto, tenor, and baritone saxophone in a variety of jazz and pop groups.  He can frequently be heard at parties, corporate events, and even a few commercial recordings.

     Mr. Jeffres earned his bachelor of Arts degree in Music and Psychology with Highest Honors from Emory University in 1992.  He has additionally earned the Master of Music degree in 1994 in Music Education and Saxophone Performance from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.   He is currently pursuing his Education Specialist Degree in technology in education from Lesley University. Mr. Jeffres has studied saxophone with Frederick Hemke, Jonathan Helton, and Leo Saguiguit, and performed under the direction of  the esteemed Dr. John Paynter.  His professional and honorary affiliations include GMEA, MENC, Mu Phi Epsilon, Psi Chi and Phi Beta Kappa.  While a student, Mr. Jeffres was awarded winner of the Emory University Concerto Competition and the Northwestern University Chamber Music Competition. 

     Mr. Jeffres was raised on the shore of the Tennessee River in Florence, Alabama, and is married to the former Anne Epstein of West Islip, New York.  They have two daughters, Sarah (8 years old), and Ella (3 years old).