AMEA 2017 Clinicians


Roger Sams retired from the music classroom in 2013 after 31 years of teaching music. He has been an active clinician and Orff instructor for over two decades and has taught in China, India, Indonesia, Scotland, Canada, Korea, and throughout the US. Roger is trained in Gestalt therapy and is interested in the power of choice in the artistic process and in life. He is co-author of "Purposeful Pathways: Possibilities for the Elementary Music Room” and the composer of several choral octavos published in the Crooked River Choral Project series and a book of rounds and partner songs titled, "A Round My Heart." He is currently Director of Publications at Music Is Elementary.


Sue Samuels is the Director of Visual and Performing Arts at the Randolph School in Huntsville. Her responsibilities include overseeing the K-12 arts programs at Randolph as well as teaching and administering the Upper School Bands. Prior to her 2016 appointment to Randolph, Dr. Samuels served for 14 years as Director of Bands at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. While under her direction, the UAB Bands performed at national and international venues, including the Dublin, Ireland St. Patrick's Day Parade (2013), the Daytona 500 Pre-Race Ceremonies (2014), and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (2015). The UAB Wind Symphony performed twice for the Alabama Music Educators Association State Conference (2007 and 2014), once at the Southern Division Conference of the College Band Directors National Association (2008), and the Percy Grainger Wind Band Festival in Chicago's Orchestra Hall (2012). Dr. Samuels’ teaching experience prior to her arrival in our state includes 12 years at Lassiter High School in Marietta Georgia, 1 year as Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Georgia, and 2 years as Director of Bands at WT Woodson High School in Fairfax, Virginia. In addition to her work as a band director, Dr. Samuels enjoys being a mom to her beautiful son, Andrew, whom she adopted from Ethiopia in 2010.


The Shelby County Band Directors Association includes high school instrumental music teachers at Oak Mountain, Chelsea, Helena, Calera, Vincent, Montevallo, and Shelby County High Schools. These high schools are all part of the Shelby County School system. In an ongoing effort to increase the rigor of the instrumental music curriculum and further substantiate music as a critical part of a well-rounded high school experience, they collaborated to create an innovative course of study specifically for advanced level instrumental music. The SCBDA also hosts an annual honor band, offering scholarships for middle and high school students who are continuing music study at the next level.


Mr. Russ Thompson is in his second year as Director of Bands at Woodland High School – Henry County, GA. He oversees a 150 + member program consisting of three concert ensembles, three percussion ensembles, the 110-member extra-curricular competitive style Wolfpack Marching Band, two winter guard ensembles, an indoor concert percussion ensemble and teaches AP Music Theory. n 2012, Mr. Thompson completed the Master’s of Music in Wind Band Conducting at Georgia State University. As a student of Dr. Robert Ambrose, he conducted the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Wind Orchestra, and University Band. From 2008-2010, Mr. Thompson served as the Director of Bands at Duluth High School in Duluth, Georgia. From 2005-2007, Mr. Thompson served as band director at Lauderdale County High School in Florence, Alabama. Mr. Thompson was the primary music teacher for grades K-12, teaching elementary general music, beginning band, and 7-12th grade band. His concert and marching ensembles have received numerous superior ratings at the district, state, and national levels. Mr. Thompson also holds a Master’s in Education degree from Auburn University where he also served as a Graduate Assistant with the Auburn University Bands. He is a 2005 graduate of the University of North Alabama, earning a Bachelor’s of Music in Music Education.


Robert Waugh is the Assistant Professor of Trumpet at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN. He holds his undergraduate degree in Music Education from Capital University, his MM from the University of Oklahoma, and is in-progress toward his DM from Indiana University. Prior to his appointment at Austin Peay, he was the trumpet instructor at Indiana State University. Mr. Waugh is a member of the Gateway Chamber Orchestra, and previous served as Principal Trumpet with orchestras in Terre Haute, IN and Danville, IL. His primary teachers include John Rommel, Dr. Karl Sievers, Dr. James Stokes, James Reed, and William Adam.


Dr. Anne C. Witt teaches Music Education, String Pedagogy and String Literature at the University of Alabama. She founded the Adult Strings program in which she teaches classes for adult beginners, cello lessons and the annual Adult Strings Weekend. Her degrees were earned at the University of Alabama and the University of Texas at Austin. She taught middle school and high school strings/orchestra in Austin for 15 years and played cello in the Austin Symphony; she was also Director of the University of Texas String Project. Dr. Witt has served as President of the Texas Orchestra Directors Association, President of the Alabama ASTA chapter, and National President of ASTA. Dr. Witt has presented educational sessions in many states, at all ASTA national conferences and at the Midwest Clinic. She enjoys guest conducting All State and Regional festival orchestras, and a frequent presenter at AMEA. Dr. Witt is author of A Rhythm a Week, used by school band and orchestra classes nationwide. In 2005, she organized a community initiative to fund the start-up of Strings in Schools – a string program in the Tuscaloosa City Schools. After 10 years, there are over 350 students participating in grades 6-12, and groups have won top honors in competitions. Six graduates of the program are now studying Music Education. She further serves the community as President of the String Quartet Society. She continues to play cello professionally in a quartet called “Four Strings Attached.” She was an adjudicator for the ASTA National Orchestra Festival and for the first Alabama Orchestra MPA in 2016.


42 October/November 2016


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