Mr. Ray joined the Harrison faculty as the Assistant Director of Bands and Director of Jazz Ensembles in 2007. He became the Director of Bands in 2012. Mr. Ray has served the band program as a co-lead teacher with all three concert ensembles, assisted with the fall percussion class, three Jazz Ensembles, and served as the Lead Visual Instructor for the nationally acclaimed Harrison Marching Band.

Originally from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Mr. Ray graduated with a Bachelor degree in Music Education with a concentration in Trumpet from the University of Oklahoma. Mr. Ray has experience as a performer with Southwind (Trumpet) and Madison Scouts (Mello) Drum and Bugle Corps. He student taught with David Gorham at the nationally acclaimed Owasso High School Band program, a Sudler Flag of Honor program.

Mr. Ray is an active brass adjudicator and instructor for various ensembles in Georgia. Mr. Ray has conducted ensembles performing in state and national in-service conferences including the Midwest Clinic, and the Georgia Music Educators Convention. He is an AP certified Music Theory instructor who also serves as adjudicator, brass specialist, and guest conductor across the state of Georgia. He is affiliated with professional organizations that include: NBA, MENC, and GMEA. Mr. Ray and his wife reside in Dallas, GA.

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Mr. Hope graduated with a degree in Music Education from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, after which he returned to UMass and earned his master’s degree in Percussion Performance. At the University, he worked as a graduate assistant to Thom Hannum, taught and arranged for the Sudler Trophy-winning Minutemen Marching Band percussion section, as well as teaching percussion techniques classes and taking on other arranging and organizational responsibilities within the percussion studio.

Since 1997, Mr. Hope has written for and taught numerous high school marching, indoor, and concert percussion groups in Massachusetts and throughout New England. He has also been actively involved with Drum Corps International since 1997 as a performing member with the Boston Crusaders and the Crossmen, as a percussion technician for The Troopers, Magic of Orlando, The Madison Scouts, and The Blue Stars, and as a show designer and percussion arranger for the Targets Drum and Bugle Corps from Springfield, MA.

In 2004, Mr. Hope took the job of Director of the Spirit of America Indoor Percussion Ensemble in Orleans, MA, leading them to four consecutive WGI Independent Open Finals appearances including a second place finish in 2005. In conjunction with the indoor group, he also worked as the Percussion Director for the Spirit of America Marching Band. His arranging and coaching helped propel the group to win first place at the 2007 World Association of Marching Showbands Championship in Seoul, South Korea. In addition to teaching and arranging, Mr. Hope has also been an active percussion performer in New England since 2005 playing with groups such as The Berkshire Symphony, The Amherst College Orchestra, the Smith College Orchestra, The Dartmouth Handel Society, and The Manchester Music Festival.

In 2010, Mr. Hope became a Percussion Instructor at Harrison High School. He is a Vic Firth Education Team member as well as an endorser. 

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