Dr. Norman E. Smith District V Band Director of the Year

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2021-2022  Dr. Norman E. Smith District V Band Director of the Year Award
 

Mathew McMillen is an active musician and Director of Bands at Sulphur High School where he manages and educates the Wind Symphony, Concert Band, Jazz Lab A, the Golden Tornado Percussion Ensemble, and Golden Tornado Marching Band. Mathew is the Drum Line Instructor for The Pride of McNeese Cowboy Marching Band at McNeese State University. He is an active percussionist in several ensembles across Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana; these ensembles include, but are not limited to, the Lake Charles Symphony, Calcasieu British Brass Band, Lake Charles Jazz Band, Bayou Jazz Kings, and The Night and Day Jazz Orchestra. He received his Bachelor of Music Education from McNeese State University under the guidance of Dr. Jay Jacobs, Dr. Lonny Benoit, and Dr. Jeff Lemke. He earned a Master of Music Education from Lamar University under the tutelage of Dr. Scott Deppe. Mathew is a member of the National Association for Music Education, Louisiana Music Educators Association, the Percussive Arts Society, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia National Fraternity, and Phi Kappa Lambda Honor Society.  

This Award is given in memory of Dr. Norman E. Smith by a resolution adopted by unanimous consent on December 1, 1998. Dr. Smith was Professor Emeritus of Music at McNeese. He was not only a teacher, but also a friend to all educators and musicians. A great deal of Dr. Smith’s teaching career was spent as a band director at various levels. It is indeed a great honor to be selected as the recipient of this award.

Our association selects one member each year for special recognition of his work. The following guidelines have been established for selecting this individual.

• Contribution to the Association through performance of duties as assigned through elections, mandatory appointment, and voluntary appointments
• Level of excellence obtained in competition with his/her musical organizations
• Level of excellence obtained in instruction proficiency as a professional educator
• Accumulation of achievements in the professional and competitive realms during his/her entire period of servitude in the district.

2021-2022 Mathew McMillen

2020-2021 Daphne Richardson

2019-2020 Betsy Stoupy 

2018-2019 Kyle Cook  

2017-2018 Amanda Riggs

2016-2017 Eva Brown

2015-2016 Reggie Rogers

2014-2015 Roland Smith

2013-2014 Huber “Mickey” Smith

2012-2013 David Landry

2011-2012 Tim McMillen

2010-2011 Kevin Coker 

2009-2010 Fred Roeder

2008-2009 Matthew Jones

2007-2008 Jay Ecker

2004-2005 Tim McMillen

2000-2001 James Hearne

1999-2000 Steve Hand