Behind the Baton with Dr. Melody Causby & Dr. Catheryn Shaw Foster of the Rural Band Director Alliance

Dr. Melody Causby is Assistant Professor of Music Education at the University of Southern Mississippi. Prior to coming to The University of Southern Mississippi, Causby was on the faculty at Elon University in Elon, North Carolina for three years, first as the Assistant Director of Bands, then as the Interim Director of Bands. During her eleven years of public school teaching, the programs she ran grew in size and quality, and she served her district and state band organizations in several leadership capacities. Dr. Catheryn Shaw Foster currently serves as Assistant Professor of Practice of Music Education at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. Her responsibilities include working with graduate students in the Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction program. She taught public school in Georgia, serving as the Director of Bands at Lowndes Middle School in Valdosta and the Assistant Director of Bands at Perry High School in Perry. During this time, Foster was an active member of Districts VIII and XI, serving as the District Chair, as well as the Honor Band Coordinator for District VIII. The Rural Band Director Alliance is a newly formed national organization for rural band directors. Teaching band in a rural area comes with different challenges and rewards that are often only understood by other rural band directors. The purpose of this group is to provide a supportive and uplifting community for band directors in rural areas. This group is intended to be a safe place for rural band directors to share their struggles, experiences, and advice.   Connect with Melody & Catheryn [email protected] [email protected]   Rural Band Director Alliance https://www.facebook.com/groups/207618192221782/