2024 Conference Headliners

Dr. Alfred Watkins

Band Headliner

Dr. Alfred L. Watkins is Co-Founder, Musical Director and Conductor of the Cobb Wind Symphony, a premier all-adult community band. He is former Director of Bands at Lassiter High School in Marietta, Georgia for 31 of his 37 years. Mr. Watkins is a 1976 graduate of Florida A & M University. In July 2022, he was conferred an Honorary Doctorate from the VanderCook College of Music. His bands have earned the Sudler Flag of Honor (concert), Sudler Shield (marching) and the Sudler Silver Scroll (community band). Concert bands under Watkins’ leadership have performed at 32 invitational concert band events. He has conducted All-State High School Bands in 29 states and has worked with bands in 38 states.

Ensembles under Dr. Watkins’ batons have performed at the Midwest Band Clinic, Music for All National Festival, G.M.E.A. Convention and the National Band Association Convention. The Lassiter Trojan Marching Band has performed in Tournament of Roses Parades four times and three times in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. They are the 1998 and 2002 Bands of America Grand National Champions and winner of nine BOA Regionals. The Lassiter Winter Color Guard was named the 1996 and 1997 Winter Guard International World Champions. The Lassiter Concert Percussion Ensemble performed at the GMEA Convention, MFA National Percussion Festival twice and won the Percussive Arts Society “Call for Tapes” in 2007.

Dr. Watkins is a member of the American Bandmasters Association, Florida A & M University Gallery of Distinguished Alumni and in the Hall of Fames of Conn Selmer Institute, Band of America, Minority Band Directors National Association, and the Georgia Chapter of Phi Beta Mu Band Directors Fraternity.

He has received Midwest Clinic Medal of Honor, is a Midwest Clinic Legend, the ASBDA’s “Edwin Franko Goldman Award,” the KKY “Distinguished Service to Music Award,” was the PBM “International Bandmaster of the Year” and was awarded the “2022 Outstanding Conductor Award” presented by the Association of Community Bands. He has received 28 Certificates of Excellence from the NBA, the Sudler Order of Merit from the John Philip Sousa Foundation, and the Band World Magazine Legion of Honor Award. Dr. Watkins is a Co-Founder of M.B.D.N.A. and is on the Advisory Boards of the Midwest Clinic and the Association of Concert Bands. There are two doctoral dissertations written about him and his work with the Lassiter Band. Along with Dr. Sue Samuels, in 1988, Watkins pioneered the concept of the Symphonic Band Camp, a 3-day intensive local event dedicated to the development of concert bands in your home school.

The $1.5 million Alfred L. Watkins Band Building at Lassiter High School bears his name. He and his wife of 40 years, Rita, live in Marietta, GA. They have two adult sons: Christopher, a trumpeter in the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” in Washington, D.C. and Jonathan, a businessman in Nashville. They have two grandchildren.

Dr. Jeffery Redding

Choral Headliner

Jeffery Redding, the 2019 GRAMMY Music Educator Award Recipient, is the Director of Choral Activities at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Dr. Redding has led his choirs in performances at national, regional, and state conventions of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). His choirs have earned first place awards at Heritage Festivals of Gold in California, Chicago, New York and at the Festival of Spirituals in Washington D.C. While participating in the International Music Festival in Verona, Italy, his chorus from West Orange High School received the Gold Award for best choir, with Dr. Redding honored as top director.

Nationally, Dr. Redding is in demand as a guest conductor and clinician. He has conducted the ACDA National High School Honor Choir, the Central Division ACDA Honor Choir, and the North Central Division ACDA Honor Choir, the Eastern Division ACDA Honor Choir, the Southern Division ACDA Honor Choir and All- State and Honor choirs in approximately forty five states. In 2014, Dr. Redding was the only American adjudicator at the International Choral Festival, Verona, Italy. Additionally, he conducted at the TAISM Festival of Choirs in Muscat, Oman. He was the Artistic Director for Limerick Sings International Choral Festival in Limerick, Ireland in 2018. In 2019, he conducted the Alaska All-State Treble Choir, the NAfME Central Regional Elementary Honor Choir, the Morehead State University Honor Choir, and the Honors Young Adults Choir, at the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia.

Previously Director of Choral Activities at West Orange High School in Winter Garden, Florida and West Virginia University (WVU), Dr. Redding has been featured as guest conductor at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Kennedy Center, and Orchestra Hall on numerous occasions. He was also honored to give the prestigious TEDx Talk. He is also one of the conductors for Walt Disney World’s Candlelight Processional at Epcot and the conductor of Harmonious Live! found on Disney Plus.

Recognized for his achievements and service in the profession, Dr. Redding was awarded the R. Wayne Hugoboom Distinguished Service Award for dedicated service, leadership, and excellence by the Florida Chapter of ACDA.

Dr. Redding is founder and Artistic Director of the Winter Garden Community Choir in Winter Garden, Florida. As well as the Executive & Artistic Director of the Orlando Choral Society, founded in 2019. He also serves as the Director of Worship Arts for Tuskawilla United Methodist Church. Formerly with the Moses Hogan Singers, he remains active as a singer in the professional male singing group, "Brethren." The Jeffery Redding Passion and Purpose Choral Series is a compilation of new choral music by various composers, published by Colla Voce Music, Inc. Dr. Redding also has a Choral Series with Walton Music.

Dr. Redding holds a Ph.D. in Choral Conducting/Music Education and a Master of Music Education, both from the Florida State University, and a B.S. in Music Education from Florida A&M University. He is a member of ACDA, NAfME, FVA, NATS, and Chorus America. He has served his profession in numerous capacities, as District 8 Chair for the Florida Vocal Association (FVA), as State R&R Chair for Ethnic Music/Multicultural Affairs, R&R Chair for Youth/Student Activities, and High School Mixed Honor Choir co-chair for Florida ACDA, and as R&R Chair for Community Choirs for Southern Division ACDA. Currently, he is R&R Lifelong Coordinator (Community, Music and Worship) for Florida ACDA.

Paul Corbière

General Music Headliner

Paul Corbière has taught Elementary General Music for 30 years in
Florida/Iowa and is currently the 4 – 5 Music Teacher at Oak Hill
Elementary in the Clear Creek Amana School District.

Paul is a member of the World Music Drumming Teaching Staff and has been a featured clinician at a number of Music Education Association Conferences, AOSA
Conferences, and for the European Council of International School. Paul is a
consultant for the Just Play It! Classroom Harmonica Method, a classroom
Blues Harmonica curriculum.

Paul has authored several resources that
feature ensembles for the general music classroom. Paul received his
MM from The Ohio State University.

Dr. Frank M. Diaz

Orchestra Headliner

Dr. Frank M. Diaz is Associate Professor of Music Education at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music where he teaches courses on instrumental music education and teacher wellness.

Diaz is a highly sought out clinician and conductor for honors, community, secondary, and collegiate orchestras, and is a frequent presenter and adjudicator for conferences, workshops, and festivals across the country.

Previous to his position at Indiana, Diaz taught on the faculties of the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory and the University of Oregon School of Music, and served as a public school music teacher for school districts in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida.

As a conductor and pedagogue, he has led groups in performances at venues such as the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, National Association for Music Educators Conference, and at regional ASTA conferences in several states.

Dr. Frank M. Diaz - Orchestra Headliner.jpg