Directors & Staff
The Wind, Percussion, and Guard team at Chattahoochee High School are honored to be part of such a wonderful community. The culture of the Chattahoochee Bands program makes every year a truly amazing experience.
Click on a name below to learn more.
Originally from the Metro-Boston area, Nicholas A. Garofalo completed his bachelors of music education at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga in May of 2006. Mr. Garofalo has arranged, adjudicated and instructed many high school bands in the Tennessee and Georgia region including: East Ridge High School, Notre Dame High School, Red Bank High School, The McCallie School, Warren County High School, Model High School, Northview High School, and Hixson High School.
After graduating from The University of Tennessee, Chattanooga; Nicholas became the Assistant Band Director and Percussion Specialist at Chattahoochee High School and Ocee Elementary School in Alpharetta, Georgia. After numerous budget and financial situations Nicholas recently became the Director of Bands and no longer teaches at Ocee Elementary.
In 2006 Nicholas was the Front Ensemble Director for the Chattanooga Independent Percussion Ensemble based out of Chattanooga, Tennessee placing 4th at Winter Guard International World Championships for there inaugural year. After his work with Chattanooga, he became an instructor for Atlanta Quest Indoor Percussion ensemble from Atlanta, Georgia with yet another World Finalist title in W.G.I. In the summer of 2007 Mr. Garofalo joined the instructional staff of the Alliance Drum and Bugle Corps. During 2008 he assumed the Music Director position for the drum corps leading the ensemble to a Gold Medal in the “A Class Division” at the Drum Corps Associates Championships.
Mr. Garofalo is a currently a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Georgia Music Educators Association, Winter Guard International, Member at Large for the Southern Association for the Performing Arts and The Music Educators National Convention. Nicholas is a percussion and music ensemble adjudicator through the United States Scholastic Band Association and is also a Vic Firth Educational Team Member.
Matthew Crisman is proud to serve Chattahoochee High School as Associate Director of Bands. A graduate of the University of Georgia’s Hugh Hodgson School of Music (BM, Education) and the Texas Tech School of Music (MM, Saxophone Performance), Crisman has explored the realm of high level music making on the stage of nationally adjudicated competitions and conference performances. With this mindset and experience, he seeks to motivate young musicians to achieve their highest potential in a supportive, positive atmosphere.
Crisman’s experience as as a competitive saxophonist has taken him and his ensembles to through the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, the Music Teacher’s National Association, the North American Saxophone Alliance, the Texas Tech Concerto Competition, the Georgia Music Educator’s Association, the Texas Music Educator’s Association and several other organizations.
After several years teaching privately and as a contractor for school bands, Crisman was awarded the part time Band Director position at Chattahoochee High School. Subsequently, assistant director at Webb Bridge Middle School and Alpharetta High School. When the second full time band position at Chattahoochee opened up, Crisman was quick to rejoin the team!
Crisman’s primary instructors have included Dr. Connie Frigo, David Dees, Dr. Jaclyn Hartenberger, Dr. Sarah McKoin, Mike Walsh and Alexander Krakovski. Crisman maintains relationships with the North American Saxophone Alliance, the Georgia Music Educator’s Association, and the Kappa Kappa Psi Music Service Fraternity. In addition to his duties at Chattahoochee, Crisman serves as alto saxophonist for the Atlanta Wind Symphony, a clinician for young saxophonists, and loves to spend time with his wife, baby and their menagerie of pets.
Mackenzie Newell
Assistant Director: Chattahoochee High School Bands
Mackenzie Newell is a French hornist and educator based in Atlanta, Georgia. She began her career in Boston where she performed with the Boston Pops, the Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra, and Andrea Bocelli in concert.
She holds a Bachelor of Music from Boston University and a Master of Music from the New England Conservatory of Music. Additionally, she spent time in London at the Royal College of Music. She also attended the Aspen Music Festival studying with Andrew Bain and members of the American Brass Quintet. During her undergraduate studies she performed in Carnegie Hall, the Concertgebouw, and across Europe with the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.
Since moving to Georgia, she has played regularly with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra, and teaches horn players around the area. Mackenzie is currently on faculty at University of North Georgia and is an Artist Affiliate at Reinhardt University.
Robert Dickens, Jr.
Director of Percussion
Robert Dickens Jr. is an educator, arranger, and designer from Dothan, AL. He received his Bachelors in Music Industry from Troy University. During his tenure there, he performed with a myriad of collegiate ensembles as well as the DCI World Class Finalist GLASSMEN Drum & Bugle Corps.
Robert currently resides in Atlanta, GA. In addition to providing percussion education products and services through FXE™, he serves as snare technician for DCI Open Class Finalist Southwind Drum & Bugle Corps. He is a member of the Salyers Percussion Education team and endorses their products exclusively.
Andrew Yi
Percussion Caption Head
Andrew J. Yi is an avid music performer and educator who specializes in percussion performance. He currently attends Kennesaw State University as a Music Performance Major and has been a member of or has accompanied most major ensembles in the School of Music. He currently studies with John Lawless (Atlanta Opera, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra) and Michael Stubbart (Altanta Symphony Orchestra). Previously, he has studied with Dr. Marja Kerney and Nicholas Garofalo (Atlanta Wind Symphony). Upon receiving his undergraduate degree, Andrew plans on pursuing a Master’s degree in Percussion Performance. Outside of the scholastic musical scene, Andrew has performed regionally and nationally as a member of the Independent Indoor Drumline Q2 based out of Kennesaw, Georgia. Alongside his passion for performance, Andrew also serves as a percussion educator and composer for high schools in the metro Atlanta area, having his marching percussion and indoor percussion programs regionally and nationally recognized.
In his free time, Andrew enjoys watching Atlanta United and Tottenham Hotspur absolutely demolish all opposition under a slurry of goals and enjoys brewing and drinking coffee that probably shouldn’t cost as much as it does.
Alex Davies
Guard Director
Born in Atlanta and raised in Duluth, Georgia, Alexandria attended Duluth High School where she began her involvement in the colorguard activity in 2013. While still in high school, she decided to perform with Drum Corps Associates former corps, ALLIANCE Drum & Bugle Corps (Atlanta, GA) in 2016, leading Alexandria into senior year. Later on, she finished her high school career with four seasons as Captain of the high school colorguard for both the Fall and Winter seasons.
Once Alexandria graduated high school, she went on to march competitive organizations Drum Corps International and Winter Guard International. She began her independent performing journey in 2018 performing for WGI Finalist, 2018 Gold Medalists and 2019 Silver Medalists, Paramount Winter Guard based out of Atlanta, GA in the Open and World Class Winter Guard (2018-2020). Along with her accomplishments in the WGI community, Alexandria has pushed forward to expand her experience by performing for DCI World Class Finalist, Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps in the 2019 season.
During her performing career, Alexandria has had the pleasure and opportunity teaching and choreographing for organizations such as the Chattahoochee High School Fall Colorguard and their Scholastic A and Scholastic Novice class Winter Guards. Which, in her time there has experienced multiple achievements in membership, talent, and passion. After two years of serving Chattahoochee, she transferred her experience to Head Technician at North Gwinnett High School where she has not only worked and choreographed for the Fall Colorguard but has done the same for the Cadet B, Scholastic Novice, and Scholastic A class Winter Guards as well. This organization has also seen similar successes and achievements in membership, talent, and passion.
Alexandria has had performing and teaching experience in multiple levels of competitive classes, gaining years of knowledge to give back to the upcoming colorguard community. She is beyond excited to return as she can proudly expand and flourish with Chattahoochee High School, serving as their new Director of Colorguard!
Angela Reynolds
Director of Bands: Taylor Road Middle School
Angela Reynolds has been Director of Bands at Taylor Road Middle School in Johns Creek, Georgia since 2015. She began her career in 1995 in southwest Alabama at Excel High School. She has also taught at Headland High School in southeast Alabama, at Leeds High School and Leeds Middle School both near Birmingham, Alabama, and at River Trail Middle School also in Johns Creek, GA.
A 1990 graduate of Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery, Alabama, Mrs. Reynolds graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Troy State University in 1994. While at Troy State, she played saxophone and bassoon in the Symphony Band, Concert Band, and Jazz Band. She also served as section leader in the “Sound of the South” Marching Band. Reynolds received a Master of Music Education degree from Troy State in 1999.
Mrs. Reynolds’ professional affiliations include National Association for Music Education, National Band Association, Georgia Music Educators Association, Sigma Alpha Iota, Phi Kappa Phi, and Kappa Delta Pi. For contributions to music education, Mrs. Reynolds was awarded the Citation of Excellence from the National Band Association in 2010, 2012 and 2020.
Under her direction, Mrs. Reynolds’ bands have received consecutive superior ratings at performance evaluations and have been featured as guest bands at the 2010 Georgia Music Educators In-Service Conference, the 2011 University of Georgia Middle School Band Festival, the 2013 Music for All National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the 2020 Georgia Music Educators In-Service Conference.
Mrs. Reynolds resides in Cumming, Georgia with her spouse, son, daughter, and their miniature dachshund.
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Victoria Shrote
Assistant Director of Bands: Taylor Road Middle School
Victoria Shrote is the Assistant Director of Bands for Taylor Road Middle School as of 2021 and will be co-directing the numerous ensembles Taylor Road has to offer alongside Mrs. Reynolds. She grew up in Milton, Ga, and graduated magna cum laude from Kennesaw State University in 2021 with a bachelor’s in Music Education. During her time in university, Ms. Shrote worked as both a marching technician and a private trombone instructor for numerous programs in the area. She was also a member of the KSUMB as a trombone player, performed in the jazz ensemble, and has performed with the KSU Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra throughout her entire university career.
Ms. Shrote is also a member of Tau Beta Sigma, an honorary music service sorority. Here she worked as the Vice President of Services, the primary organizer of service projects and presentations. This included retirement home performances, elementary school educational presentations, Tri-M development presentations, and the KSUMB donation drives. She was also an elected member of SOMSAC, the school of music student advisory council.
Ms. Shrote’s professional affiliations include Tau Beta Sigma and the National Association for Music Educators. She currently resides in Woodstock, GA with her partner and their pet birds.