JICHS
Director of Bands: Neville E. Curtis
Neville E. Curtis,
a native of Burlington, North Carolina, began his undergraduate study at
Elon College, now Elon University. He earned a Bachelor of Science
Degree in Instrumental Music Education from East Carolina University,
Greenville North Carolina, and a Masters of Science Degree in Arts and
Letters from the American Band College of
Southern Oregon University,
Ashland, Oregon.
Mr. Curtis
has been at James Island since
the fall of 1995. Prior to his arrival, there were 17 band directors
here over a 25-year time span, an average of one band director every
year and a half.
Under his
direction, the JICHS “Pride of the Island” Band has received over 120
awards. For the last eleven consecutive years the marching band has
competed in the South Carolina Marching Championships receiving numerous
superior ratings. The Concert Band has received numerous superior
ratings at the South Carolina Concert Band Festival and other regional
concert festivals. The band program has won the South Carolina
Outstanding Performance Award, the state’s highest honor, four times in
the last five years. The band boasts numerous students in All County,
All Region and All State Bands. This year the band placed 5th
in the Lower State Marching Championships and finished the season ranked
number 11 in the State Finals. Each year the band’s accomplishments are
a first in James Island history.
Five years ago,
Mr. Curtis
reinstated, taught, and
directed the chorus- the first one in over 10 years. Other than band
and chorus, he has taught Study Skills, High School Focus, Music
Appreciation, Guitar, AP Music Theory, maintained Study Hall, and was
the first International Baccalaureate CAS Coordinator.
Before coming to
James Island, Mr. Curtis was Director of Bands at
Loris High School,
Loris, SC. During his tenure there, he was also Adjunct Professor of
Percussion at Coastal
Carolina University.
Mr. Curtis is an
active clinician for other band programs and a festival adjudicator
throughout the Carolinas. He maintains professional memberships with
the Charleston County Band Directors Association, where he has served as
president and currently servers as treasurer,
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia,
Music Educators
National Conference,
South Carolina Music Educators Association,
South Carolina Band Directors
Association, where he serves on the state marching band championships
committee,
and the American School
Band Directors Association.
Outside of school,
Mr. Curtis is a free-lance percussionist and vocalist who performs for
numerous weddings and private functions in Charleston and surrounding
areas. As the leader
of two bands, Class Act and Souled Out,
Mr. Curtis
brings over 26 years of professional playing experience to the stage.
The extensive list of artists he has performed with include bassist
Perry Richardson formerly of Firehouse now with Country Superstar Craig
Morgan, Jackie Gore formerly of The Embers, The Gatlin Brothers, The
Four Aces, Shari Lewis & Lambchop, Southern Blue, Timepiece, The David
Archer Band, Swingtime, The Gentlemen of Swing, and The North Carolina
Symphony.
(email)
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