SETH GAMBA

Seth Gamba grew up in Cobb County Georgia where he began playing the bass in the 6th grade public school orchestra.  He is a graduate of Walton High School, and earned his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University with a double major in Doublebass Performance and Civics.  He has a Master of Music Education from the University of Georgia.

Mr. Gamba is currently the orchestra director at Elkins Pointe Middle School and Hembree Springs Elementary School in Fulton County.  He is also a frequent performer in professional jazz ensembles and orchestras.  He has been a member of the Porto Allegre Symphony in Brazil, the Ohio Light Opera Orchestra, the Augusta Symphony, and the Macon Symphony.  He volunteers his skills in the Dekalb Symphony where he plays the viola and is the codirector of the New World Unity Ensemble, the choir at the Bahá’í Unity Center in Decatur.

Earlier this year, Mr. Gamba organized and presented a Basstravaganza clinic for GMEA district 5 orchestra teachers.  The notes and suggestions from that clinic were published in the GAASTA newsletter Gut Reaction.  He also presented research findings on adult participation in music at the GMEA convention in 2001.  This paper was published in the Georgia Music News in 2002.

Mr. Gamba is the assistant director of the Upbeat! summer music camp and hosts one of the sessions at Elkins Pointe.  In one of his classes, Mr. Gamba guides students through the creation and arranging of their own compositions which are performed at the final concert.

Mr. Gamba has composed for many genres including student orchestra, choir, jazz ensemble, and rock band.  His compositions have been performed at school concerts, district performance evaluations, and previous GMEA conventions.  Compositions are currently available directly from the composer.

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JIM PALMER

James Palmer is currently the Orchestra Director and Fine Arts Department Chairman at Chattahoochee High School in Alpharetta, Georgia and the Associate Conductor of the Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestra.  He received his Bachelor’s of Music Education Degree from Florida State University.  Prior to coming to Georgia, Mr. Palmer was the Orchestra Director at Manatee High School in Bradenton Florida from 1989-1996, and Music Department Chairman and Orchestra Director at Cypress Lake Center For The Arts in Fort Myers, Florida from 1996-2000. In addition to his teaching career, Mr. Palmer has served as conductor with the West Coast Symphony Youth Orchestra and former Music Director for The Tampa Bay Youth Orchestra, the Southwest Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra, The Youth Orchestra of Greater Columbus and the conductor of the Senior Orchestra at the Florida State University Summer Music Camps since 1996.  Jim Palmer is a frequent clinician having conducted All State Orchestras in Florida, Georgia, New York, Oregon and Tennessee. He has also maintained a career as a professional violist serving as Principal Violist for the Sarasota Pops Orchestra, section violist, and substitute principal for The Southwest Florida Symphony as well as a free lance violist in the Atlanta area.  Mr. Palmer is a member of GMEA, President Elect of the Georgia American String Teachers Association, and Chairman of The ASTA National Orchestra Festival.

Mr. Palmer had a difficult time choosing between being an Orchestra Director and joining the PGA Tour. Even though the PGA tour pays MILLIONS more than teaching, he discovered his passion was teaching orchestra. He also realized he could not afford the liability insurance necessary for the amount of broken windows, broken necks, and injuries to pets and fish due to his sporadic golf swing. He lives in Kennesaw with his wife Lydia, son Curtis and daughter Ericka.

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NICOLE THOMPSON

Mrs. Nicole Thompson presently serves as conductor of the String Orchestra with the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestras of Atlanta. She also serves as Director of Orchestras at Taylor Road Middle School in Alpharetta, Georgia. Additionally, Mrs. Thompson serves as coordinator for the Georgia High School 9-10 All-State Orchestra. Mrs. Thompson earned her Bachelor of Music Education Degree at Georgia State University. She earned her Master of Music Education Degree and Specialist of Music Education Degree at the University of Georgia. Mrs. Thompson has conducted orchestras at the Georgia Music Educators’ Conference in Savannah, Georgia and American String Teachers Association conferences in Dallas, Texas and Reno, Nevada. She has also taught seminars in Budapest, Hungary, as well as being an active clinician throughout the Metropolitan Atlanta area. Mrs. Thompson has maintained an active performing career as well. She plays violin full time with The Mount Paran Orchestra and is also a freelance violinist. Her professional affiliations include MENC, ASTA, and GMEA. Mrs. Thompson loves sports and has earned a black belt in Martial Arts and completed 2 triathlons.

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RICHARD BOMBA

Richard Bomba is currently the Director of the Orchestra Program at Milton High School and Alpharetta Elementary School in Fulton County.  Mr. Bomba has a Bachelor of Music in Education from Corpus Christi State University and a Masters of Music in Violin Performance & Pedagogy from the University of Northern Colorado. While in Texas, Mr. Bomba served as the music director of the Corpus Christi Youth Symphony for four years before leaving for graduate school. While in graduate school, Mr. Bomba served as the interim professor of violin for one year. Mr. Bomba has been honored as Morrow High School’s STAR Teacher in 2001 and has been a member of the Pi Kappa Lambda music honor society since 1995. Strange but true: Mr. Bomba has earned four regional medals and two national medals in amateur competitive artistic roller-skating (dance and figures).

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ASHLEY CULLEY

Ashley Culley is currently the 0rchestra Director at Dodgen Middle School in Cobb County.  Before coming to Dodgen, she started the orchestra program at Kell High School in Cobb County.  She has also worked in at Milton High School, Northwestern Middle School and several elementary schools in Fulton County.  Mrs.Culley received her Bachelors of Music Education with performance certificate from the University of South Carolina.  She earned her Masters of Music in Cello Performance and Masters of Arts in String Pedagogy from the Ohio State University.  Mrs.Culley lives in Marietta with her husband, David, and  daughters Emily and Amber. 

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