SUMMER TEACHER TUNE UP

Hands-on, Instrument Specific Professional Development Program with Master Clinicians

The Gift of Music is proud to announce the 2nd Annual “Summer Teacher Tune Up Seminar” which will take place June 15-19, 2026 at Sutton Middle School in Atlanta, GA.

 

This week-long seminar for music educators will provide a hands-on learning experience with a master clinician, specific to each instrument, who will lead each instructional day. Participants will receive instruction on best practices and process for teaching beginning band instruments as well common pedagogical issues facing band directors at the intermediate and advanced levels of instruction and performance. Instruction will include daily application on flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, horn, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, tuba, and percussion. All primary instruments for each participant will be provided by The Gift of Music.

 

New for 2026 the event includes “The Composer Spotlight Experience.” This year’s featured composer is Mr. Tyler Grant. He will provide a clinic and personal insight on his compositional process. Additionally, he will lead our participants in a Director’s Lab Band experience, featuring many of his Grade 1,2, and 3 works, at the conclusion of the week.

MEET OUR 2026 CLINICIANS

Chrissy Holbrook – Flute Master Clinician

Ms. Chrissy Holbrook served as an Instructional Resource Writer for the Georgia Department of Education, and she currently serves as a Music Learning Architect for the Fulton County Schools Standards Mastery Framework Team. Prior to teaching in the Fulton County Schools, Ms. Holbrook previously served as the Director of Bands at Daniell Middle School from 2011-2018. Before coming to Daniell, Ms. Holbrook taught Band and Piano classes at East Cobb Middle School. While at East Cobb, she was nominated for Teacher of the Year. Other professional experiences include teaching Band and Music at Mill Springs Academy, Music at St. Catherine of Siena School, Band at Hightower Trail Middle School, and Band and Orchestra in the St. Paul Public Schools in Minnesota. Ms. Holbrook holds the Specialist in Music Education (EdS) from the University of Georgia, the Master of Instrumental Music (MM) from Arizona State University, and the Bachelor of Music Education (BME) from Texas Christian University. Ms. Holbrook belongs to the following professional organizations: Georgia Music Educators Association, the National Association for Music Education, and the Professional Association of Georgia Educators. Ms. Holbrook often serves as a flute clinician and adjudicator for metro-Atlanta middle and high schools and also served as the flute instructor for the Cobb County Middle School Band Camp for many years. Previously, Ms. Holbrook presented sessions at the Fulton Education Conference, the Georgia Music Educators Association Inservice Conference and the Georgia Independent Schools Association Fall Conference. Her study titled Music and Academic Success: A Review, was published in the Georgia Music News, and she has presented her historical research about the Mesa City Band at a Poster Session for the Arizona Music Educators Association. This is Ms. Holbrook’s twenty-eighth year of teaching in the schools, and she has been an active flute instructor, clinician, and adjudicator for almost thirty years.

Lisa Sayre - Oboe Master Clinician

Lisa Sayre received her BM and MM from Louisiana State University in Oboe Performance. From 1980 through 1983 Lisa studied with Stuart Dunkel at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA. She then completed her studies in 1987 at LSU with Earnest Harrison and Mark Ostoich. Upon completing her degrees, Lisa became a member of the US Air Force Band of Flight for seven years. Lisa is a professional oboist and teacher currently residing in Kennesaw, GA. In 1999, Lisa began the Oxford Oboe Camp, hosted presently at Young Harris College in Georgia. This organization successfully expanded to include the Midwest Oboe Camp and the Maine Oboe Camp. Her husband, Charles Sayre has composed many fine pieces for oboe, performed by the fabulous faculty members of the various camps. This music is published by Hoboe Music. She has performed with organizations such as the Atlanta Lyric Theater, The Atlanta Ballet, Macon Symphony, Johns Creek Symphony and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Lisa is currently principal oboist of the Carroll Symphony, a position she has held for 22 years. Her teaching experience includes adjunct positions at Reinhardt University and University of West Georgia. She was solo oboist and English hornist on three Billboard charting CDs with the Taliesin Orchestra. Today, she maintains a very active oboe studio in Georgia. The Oxford Oboe Camp information can be found on Facebook.

Dr. Lauren Denney Wright – Clarinet Master Clinician

Dr. Lauren Denney Wright, a native of Marietta, Georgia, is an active conductor, adjudicator, clinician and clarinetist, and is the Director of Bands at Shorter University. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Clarinet Performance from Vanderbilt University, a Master of Music in Clarinet Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a second Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Kennesaw State University, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Instrumental Conducting from the University of Miami under the mentorship of Gary Green. Dr. Denney Wright’s research areas are on the music of David Maslanka, and musicality in score study and conducting. Her dissertation on David Maslanka’s Give Us This Day is in high demand with over 8000 downloads. She made her international debut conducting chamber music with members of the Berlin Philharmonic in Aix-en-Provence, France. She holds memberships with the College Music Society, Pi Kappa Lambda, Tau Beta Sigma and is a founding member of Sigma Alpha Iota at Vanderbilt University.

Gary Paulo – Saxophone Master Clinician

Gary Paulo is a graduate of Indiana University where he received a BM in classical saxophone performance while studying with legendary saxophonist Dr. Eugene Rousseau. Beginning in 2017 he joined the faculty at Berry College as the Artist Affiliate for Saxophone and beginning in Fall 2021 added Aural Skills I and II to his teaching credentials. In 2022 Gary released his first solo classical record: ‘New Stories’ with pianist Dr. Kris Carlisle. New Stories features first recordings of music by Dorothy Chang, Harriet Steinke and Stacy Garrop. Gary has performed with national touring acts, spanning several genres of music. His performance credits include - soloist with the Berry College Wind Ensemble, St. Cloud University Wind Ensemble and the Emory University Wind Ensemble. He also performs regularly with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Atlanta Pops, and has performed with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Augusta Symphony Orchestra, Albany Symphony Orchestra, The Macon Pops Orchestra, The Temptations, the Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards, the Zac Brown Band and Natasha Bedingfield. He is also a member of the Atlanta Saxophone Quartet. In 2008 he completed a Master of Music at Georgia State University, and in 2010 he studied with renowned contemporary music composer Christian Lauba and saxophonist Richard Ducros in Estoril, Portugal at the Estoril Contemporary Music Festival. Gary is a D’Addario Woodwinds Clinician and a member of the American Federation of Musicians.

Lazara Santana – Bassoon Master Clinician

Lazara B. Santana is a Cuban bassoonist, educator, and teaching artist based in Atlanta, Georgia. She is Adjunct Faculty of Bassoon at Reinhardt University and performs regularly as Principal Bassoon with the DeKalb Symphony Orchestra and the Gwinnett Ballet Theatre Orchestra. Trained in Cuba and the United States, Lazara has appeared in major venues including the Kennedy Center and Konzerthaus Berlin and collaborated on the internationally acclaimed Mozart y Mambo project. Passionate about access to music education, she works extensively with young musicians through schools, nonprofits, and community programs, inspiring the next generation of artists through performance and mentorship.

Dr. Charles R. Jackson – Trumpet Master Clinician

Dr. Charles R. Jackson, a full-time Lecturer in Music Education at Georgia State University, is in his 46th year as a music educator. He has presented sessions at the Midwest Clinic (2018), the Music for All Summer Symposium (2007 through 2019), the Western Carolina University Summer Symposium (2017 through 2023), the Art of Teaching Music Summit (Atlanta, GA), and the Jacksonville State University Spirit Camp. Before his appointment at GSU, Dr. Jackson served nine years as an Assistant Professor of Music at Kennesaw State University and 34 years as a public school Director of Bands, with 28 of those years in the Cobb County School District. He is in his eighth year as the conductor of the Cobb New Horizons Symphonic Band. Dr. Jackson is on demand as a guest speaker, band clinician, trumpet clinician, conductor, adjudicator, and trumpet performer, and has conducted honor bands in Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia. He is a principal author of Teaching Music Through Performance in the Middle School Band (GIA) and the author of The Band Director’s Book of Secrets, published through Barnhouse. He completed a Bachelor of Music Education degree (University of Southern Mississippi), a Master of Science degree in Music Education (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), an Education Specialist degree in Instrumental Music Education (Georgia State University), and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree (Shenandoah Conservatory). Dr. Jackson is the Faculty Advisor for the GSU chapter of CNAfME and is the Deputy Governor for Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Province 33. He and his wife, Jane, have four children and live in Acworth, GA.

Dr. Kathleen Ray – French Horn Master Clinician

Dr. Kathleen Ray makes a living as a very active freelancing French horn performer and teacher. She has maintained a studio and teaches brass and horn in schools throughout Atlanta. Dr. Ray has the pleasure of regularly performing with the Atlanta Pops Orchestra, Huntsville Symphony Orchestra, and Chattanooga Symphony & Opera. Dr. Ray looks forward to performing a recital programming all female composers at Truett McConnell University in March. That program will be performed at Georgia State University in March as well. Dr. Ray holds her Masters of Music and Doctorate of Musical Arts degrees from Stony Brook University, where she studied with David Jolley and Ann Ellsworth. Her Bachelors of Music was earned from Columbus State University.

Hollie Lawing Pritchard – Trombone

Hollie Lawing Pritchard is an active freelance trombonist in the Atlanta area on both tenor and bass trombone. She graduated with her B.M. in Music Performance from Georgia State University and did Graduate studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music. She serves as the Bass trombonist with the Savannah Philharmonic, Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, Johns Creek Symphony, and Georgia Brass Band. She has also performed with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Opera Orchestra, Atlanta Ballet Orchestra, Chattanooga Symphony, Charleston Symphony, as well as many others. She is a founding member and trombonist with the Midtown Brass Quintet. Hollie serves as adjunct instructor of trombone at Reinhardt University (formerly trombone professor at both Kennesaw State University and Mercer University) and maintains a private studio of trombone in her home in Marietta, Georgia. Under her guidance, students have received 1st chair consecutive placement in district and state ensembles, secured spots with the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony. Her students have been accepted into prestigious schools of music such as Indiana University, Oberlin Conservatory, The Royal Academy of Music, and New England Conservatory of Music. Hollie’s music education students have a 100 percent placement rate. Her students have subbed with major orchestras such as The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and The London Philharmonic. Hollie’s students have been awarded positions with the Houston Grand Opera, The Navy Fleet band program and The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra fellowship program.

Bernard Flythe – Euphonium/Tuba Clinician

Bernard H. Flythe is a freelance musician who teaches and performs throughout metropolitan Atlanta. He is currently affiliated with a number of middle and high schools in the area. Mr. Flytheserved on the faculty at Columbus State University for two years as Artist Faculty in Tuba and Euphonium at the Joyce and Henry Schwob School of Music. Prior to his appointment at CSU, he served for ten years at Kennesaw State University and for four years on the artist faculty at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival. Mr. Flythe also has held faculty positions at Austin Peay State University, Emory University, the University of Georgia, the University of Toledo, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Michigan All State Program at Interlochen, the University of Michigan Summer Arts Institute, and the UNC-Greensboro Summer Music Camp. As an orchestral tubist, Mr. Flythe has performed with the Jacksonville Symphony, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and the Nashville Symphony. During the 1992-1993 season, he served as the acting principal tubist with the North Carolina Symphony. As a chamber musician, Mr. Flythe has performed with the Detroit Chamber Winds, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet, and the North Carolina Symphony Brass Quintet. Mr. Flythereceived a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro; he also received Master of Music and Specialist in Music degrees from the University of Michigan. His principal tuba teachers include Fritz Kaenzig, Robert Leblanc, David Lewis, Wesley Jacobs, James Jenkins, and Michael Sanders.

Scott Brown – Percussion Master Clinician

Scott Brown is currently the Assistant Band Director at Dickerson M.S., Percussion Coordinator for the Bands of America Summer Camp Concert Band Division, and serves on the Percussive Arts Society Education Committee. Through his career working with the band programs at Lassiter High School (1997-2010) and Walton High School (2011-2024), Scott has been fortunate to be part of two Bands of America National Championships, numerous BOA Regional Championships, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (2x), and Tournament of Roses Parade (2x), among other honors. While serving as Percussion Arranger and Consultant for Beatrix Drum & Bugle Corps, the ensemble won the “High Percussion” awards for Drum Corps Netherlands and Drum Corps Europe and he served on the staffs of Spirit of Atlanta and Atlanta CV Drum & Bugle Corps. His concert percussion ensembles have performed multiple times each for The Midwest Clinic, The Percussive Arts Society International Convention, the GMEA Conference, and the Music for All National Festival. Scott has served as an adjudicator for competitions throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and South America and presented clinics for The Midwest Clinic, PASIC, MEA conferences in Georgia, Texas, and Ontario, and at several universities and international events. He is co-author of “Field Level – The Ultimate Band Director’s Guide to fielding the Ultimate Marching Percussion Section” and composer of “Kumi-daiko”, both published by Row-Loff Productions and served as a curriculum consultant for Quaver Music. His articles on percussion pedagogy have been published in Percussive Notes, Halftime, PAS Educators’ Companion, and School Band & Orchestra magazines. He is featured on the “Snare Drummer’s Toolbox” DVD and has been featured in interviews for TV and Radio in The Netherlands, Colombia, and Malaysia as well as several podcasts and online events.

Tyler Grant – Composer In Residence

Tyler S. Grant is an internationally recognized composer, arranger, conductor, and clinician of music for concert bands, orchestras, and chamber ensembles of all levels. His music is featured regularly in performances by both region and all state honor ensembles and is also featured annually on Editor’s or Publisher’s Choice Repertoire Lists around the world. His work, Panoramic Fanfare, was a winner of the Dallas Wind Symphony’s 2014 “Call for Fanfares” Competition. Panoramic Fanfare has since been performed by collegiate and professional ensembles throughout North America. Since 2010, Tyler has regularly accepted commissions for new works and produced new publications for bands and orchestras each year. He credits his mentor Brian Balmages as pivotal to his success as a composer. Notable performance venues of his works include The Midwest Clinic, Carnegie Hall, Music for All’s National Concert Band Festival, the Meyerson Symphony Center, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Bands of America Grand Nationals, and numerous state-wide, national, and international music conferences and conventions. In addition to composing and arranging, Tyler enjoys conducting and clinic engagements with ensembles throughout the United States. He has served as a clinician with over 150 school instrumental music programs and honor groups across more than 25 states. Tyler was a contributing author for Alfred Music Publishing Company’s Sound Innovations: Ensemble Development series and has contributed interviews to numerous podcasts and articles including School Band & Orchestra Magazine and The Instrumentalist. Tyler is a graduate of the University of Alabama where he earned a bachelor’s degree in instrumental music education and studied conducting with Professor Randall Coleman. Before becoming a full-time composer and arranger, Tyler served as the Director of Bands at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School from 2019-2023. He currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia, and maintains an active composing and conducting schedule. His published works are available through The FJH Music Company, Inc., Alfred/MakeMusic Publications, and Tyler S. Grant Music Works, LLC.

REGISTER ONLINE NOW

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who may attend the clinic?

The sessions are designed to accommodate band directors who have experience in the classroom and desire additional training on “best practices” for teaching at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of instrumental music education. Additionally, the sessions would be valuable as a refresher course for veteran high school teachers who may be teaching middle school band or considering a change in grade level instruction.

Daily instruction from a teaching and performing professional, use of a personal instrument for each day of instruction, educational literature specific to each instrument, a daily instrument repair clinic specific to “The Instrument of the Day,” daily lunch and refreshments. Parking is free for the entire week.

Each day’s instruction and lunch will take place at Sutton Middle School in Atlanta, Georgia. Parking is free.

There are NO requirements of individual ability to perform on each instrument. The clinic is specifically designed to provide teachers with a new set of tools as they enter the classroom in the fall of 2026. Where individual weaknesses are present on a certain instrument, the clinic will provide the participant access to information for both pedagogical and demonstrational purposes, based on the experience they have on a given instrument.

The defining value of this clinic is not only to work with a professional who is a master teacher, but an educator recognized as professional performer. Additionally, attendees will be playing “The Instrument of the Day” and receiving a “hands on” instructional experience that mirrors the educational process of how young students learn and how to diagnose and correct bad habits from more experienced students.

Attendees will be provided instruments and teaching literature for each day of instruction as a part of the registration fee. Note: Attendees will NOT be sharing instruments with other participants (except for larger instruments) and will be assigned their instrument at the beginning of each day.

In an effort to prepare for your attendance, we ask that all online registrations and payments are made no later than Monday, June 8, 2026. If paying by check, the deadline is May 15 to confirm registration.

 

Seats are limited for this experience in an effort to provide the most individualized instruction and valuable opportunity for peer interaction.

 

Since school districts recognize professional development in different ways, we urge you to check with your music supervisor for guidance on staff development credits. Participants who attend all five days of the course will be issued a Certificate of Completion on June 20 that may be presented to local school or district leadership as proof of professional development.

Yes.  For we have added instruction for percussion instruments as a part of the curriculum.

On the day when “The Instrument of the Day” is a participant’s major instrument, they will have the opportunity to receive pedagogical tips from the presenter as well as participate in peer discussion and individualized instruction. They will also have the opportunity to provide personal advice on topics pertinent to their instrument as well as teaching strategies that have proved to be beneficial in their own classroom.