Amanda Irby, Ensemble Director
Amanda Irby is a native of Stockbridge, Georgia. Amanda received her Bachelor's degree in Music Education from Valdosta State University and her Masters in Music Education from the University of Georgia. She is a proud alumnus of the Interlochen Arts Program and the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony. Solo flute recordings of Mrs. Irby are featured on Thrivent Financial for Lutheran’s Music for Members Website and through the Harvest Home Series at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Atlanta.
Currently, Amanda is the Director of Bands at Burney Harris Lyons Middle School in Clarke County. Previously, she has taught middle and high school band in Douglas, Gwinnett, McDuffie, and Forsyth County. In addition to her band director duties Amanda serves as an adjunct music instructor for Truett-McConnell University and clinics flute sections and bands in the North Georgia area. Professional Affiliations for Mrs. Irby are the Georgia Music Educators Association, National Band Association, Professional Association for Georgia Educators, National Association for Music Educators, and Women Band Directors International.
Outside the wonderful world of band Mrs. Irby is very active in pageantry. Mrs. Irby holds seven national titles and was the inaugural American Beauties Elite Educator. With her degrees in education, performing arts, and pageant experience she is an active judge for national and international pageants while promoting her personal platform of ‘Music Literacy in America.’ Aside from her teaching responsibilities and love of pageantry Amanda and her husband, Richard enjoy playing with their dogs, Belle and Lily.
Nicholas Williams, Guest Conductor
Dr. Williams will be joining the NGYW throughout its Inaugural Season as a Guest Conductor. We are excited for what he will bring to the ensemble.
Nicholas Enrico Williams is a Professor of Music and serves as the Director of Bands at the University of Georgia, where he coordinates one of the country’s largest and most comprehensive university band programs, conducts the University of Georgia Wind Ensemble, and oversees the graduate wind band conducting area. Prior to his time in Athens, he was the Director of Wind Bands at the University of Melbourne Conservatorium of Music (Melbourne, Australia). Before venturing to Australia, Dr. Williams flourished for sixteen years as the Assistant Director of Wind Studies, the Conductor of the Wind Ensemble, Brass Band, and Concert Band, as well as the Director of Athletic Bands at the University of North Texas.
For a decade, he was the Conductor of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra Wind Symphony and continues to be a frequent guest conductor of the Dallas Winds (formerly Dallas Wind Symphony), one of America’s few professional civic wind bands. Professor Williams earned the Bachelor of Music (music education), MM (performance-conducting), and DMA (conducting) degrees from the University of North Texas.
As an advocate of chamber music, Professor Williams was the founder and conductor of the East Plano Brass and was the principal guest conductor for the Harmoniemusik chamber ensemble. In the wind band world, he has been a guest conductor with the World Youth Wind Symphony at the Interlochen Arts Camp; Royal Australian Navy Band; United States Air Force Band; Dallas Wind Symphony; Lone Star Wind Orchestra; at the annual Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, Illinois; the College Band Directors National Association regional conference; the Texas Bandmasters Association Convention; and the Texas Music Educators Association Annual Clinic/Convention in San Antonio, Texas.
Dr. Williams is active in Australia, Canada, Europe, Southeast Asia, and the United States as a conductor, clinician, adjudicator, consultant, and arranger; his arrangements and transcriptions for wind band, percussion ensembles, drum corps, and school pageantry ensembles are performed by outstanding organizations throughout the world. A member of the Recording Academy (GRAMMYs), he is a sought-after recording session producer, associate producer, editor, and conductor, having been involved with numerous CDs and DVDs on the Klavier, Mark Records, and GIA labels, as well as UNT projects, including the 2019 worldwide release of “FIESTAS” by the University of North Texas Wind Ensemble. In addition to his work in the recording arts, he has written several conductor study guides published in the multivolume series of Teaching Music Through Performance in Band. He is a primary consultant of Women of Influence in Contemporary Music and is an honorary member of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity for women. His professional affiliations include the Georgia
Music Educators Association, Australian Band and Orchestra Directors Association, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, College Band Directors National Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Phi Beta Mu, an international bandmasters fraternity.
Christopher Sampson, Ensemble Associate Director
Mr. Sampson is excited for his sixth year teaching at Franklin County High School. He most recently received his Master's of Music Education from Georgia College & State University in 2022, and received his Bachelor's in Music Education from Florida Atlantic University. Previously Mr. Sampson has taught Elementary Music, Middle School Music, Middle School Band, and High School Band in Florida and Georgia. He has also served in the Florida Music Educators Association on the Board of Directors, representing as the State President of the Collegiate National Association for Music Education, and is a brother of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity.
Mr. Sampson has had the opportunity to perform across the country in the summers of 2014 and 2015 with the Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps on Trumpet/Mellophone. He is a current member of the Athens Symphony Orchestra and North Georgia Winds. Additionally, he has performed at the Florida Music Educators Association Conference and Collegiate Band Directors National Association Conference - Southern Division with various ensembles.
Mr. Sampson presently lives in Lavonia, Georgia with his wife Mrs. Sampson, and their pets Abby, Becca, Storm, and Morgan
Jonathan Bagley, Ensemble Associate Director
BIO Coming Soon
