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Professor Amy Birdsong strives to make a positive impact on her students through music education By KAMRYN KOCH The Breeze Amy Birdsong said she enjoyed being the band director at Hanover High School in Hanover County Public Schools, where she developed its band program over the course of 14 years. However, she said that when she was notified of an opening for a third band director position at JMU, where she completed her undergraduate degree, she decided to apply. Now, three years in the position, Birdsong has been voted best professor by readers of The Breeze. Birdsong grew up in Richmond, Virginia, and graduated from JMU in 2001 with a Bachelor of Music and a minor in jazz studies. While at HCPS, she earned a master’s degree in music education through VCU in the summer. Birdsong currently works as assistant director of bands and director of the JMU Pep Band. Birdsong described her profession as a combination of her parents’ professional lives — her mom was an elementary school teacher, and her dad was a business owner — because her teaching career also includes administrative duties. Her parents were JMU alumni, and she only applied to JMU. Since her childhood homes are gone, she said, she feels a special connection to JMU since attending because it’s the only place she can return to that still has memories from the past. “JMU has this way of becoming home when you’re here, and it becomes a place you’re homesick for when you leave,” Birdsong said. “This is one of those dream positions that I never thought to even attempt to try for.” Birdsong teaches a music education course and concert band and works with the saxophone chamber ensemble. She works closely with Scott Rikkers, assistant director of bands and director of the Marching Royal Dukes, and said she considers him a mentor who has “a great vision” for the university’s bands. Rikkers said he’s known Birdsong as a colleague in the field since coming to Virginia in 2001. He said he encouraged her to apply for assistant director of bands at JMU because he was familiar with her experience and her love for teaching. He said her energy inspires him to stay focused and motivated, and he said she deserves the award’s recognition because of her ability to connect with students while balancing the responsibilities of a high demand career. “She is one of the hardest working, most motivated and dedicated people that I’ve ever met,” Rikkers said. “She’s a new faculty member who has really hit the ground running. We need more people like her in this world.” PHOTOS BY COURTNEY RYDER / THE BREEZE
