Mrs. Hersey has taught band and drama at Murray Hill Middle School since the school’s opening in August of 1997. Under Mrs. Hersey’s direction, the band program has grown from 50 students to more than 200 students. The Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, and Jazz Band have won numerous awards throughout the years. Mrs. Hersey's students have been participants in the Howard County G/T Band, Howard County Honors Band, Howard County Solo/Ensemble Festival, All-State Junior Band, Maryland Music Educators Association State Solo/Ensemble Festival, Howard County Band Festivals, Assessments, and Adjudications, and Music In The Parks Festivals.
Mrs. Hersey was a nominee for the Howard County Music Educator of the Year Award in 2004, was the Finalist for this award in 2011, and was the recipient of this award in 2012! She was a nominee for the Grammy Music Educator Award in 2013! Mrs. Hersey was recognized by the Howard County Gifted and Talented Advisory Committee for exemplary commitment to the needs of advanced-level learners and contribution to the Howard County Gifted and Talented Education Program in 2014!
Murray Hill's drama program has grown over the years, and will begin working on their 27th production, "Willie Wonka Junior." MHMS Drama Productions has performed three of Mrs. Hersey’s original musicals including, “Look For A Rainbow,” “And They All Lived Happily Ever After…NOT!,” and “One Day I Will Shine.” They have also performed four of Mrs. Hersey’s non-musical original stage plays including, “At The Mall,” and the trilogy of nursery rhyme plays, “Once…Twice… and Thrice Upon A Nursery Rhyme.” And Mrs. Hersey's skit "The Black History Month Project." For a complete listing of plays performed throughout Murray Hill’s history, go to the drama page on this website.
Mrs. Hersey’s first teaching job was in the Tyrrell County Public School System in Columbia, NC where she taught students in grades 5-12, including Marching Band, Concert Band, and Music Appreciation. While there, the Marching Band participated in marching competitions and parades receiving awards for horn line and drum major. Her students participated in the NC Eastern Division All-District Band and the NC East Coast Honors Band. Mrs. Hersey was also the Assistant Music Director for the drama program at Columbia High School where her original musical, “One Day I Will Shine” premiered in 1990.
After getting married and moving to Maryland, Mrs. Hersey taught vocal music in grades K-6 in the Prince George’s County Public School System at Adelphi Elementary, Cherokee Lane Elementary, and Thomas Stone Elementary Schools. She was also involved in music and drama productions at all three schools.
Prior to teaching at Murray Hill, Mrs. Hersey was the Director of Bands for the Falls Church City Public School System in Virginia where she taught for six years at George Mason Middle/Senior High School and Thomas Jefferson Elementary School. She taught Band in grades 4-12, International Baccalaureate Music in grades 11-12 and Music Appreciation in grade 6. She was also the Head of the Fine and Performing Arts Department and was responsible for developing and maintaining Department Curriculum. She started the International Baccalaureate Music Program for the International Baccalaureate Program at George Mason High School. Her students participated in the All-District Band, All-Regional Orchestra, District Concert Band Festival, VMEA 50th Anniversary Honors Orchestra, and in the All Virginia Band and Orchestra, and other various competition festivals. Her Wind Ensemble was chosen to perform at the Kennedy Center as part of their Grand Foyer Series. Her original vocal composition, “The Harmony of You and Me,” premiered at the Kennedy Center’s Very Special Performing Arts Program in 1993. Her Elementary and Middle School Bands were featured on the “Today Show” with Willard Scott. Mrs. Hersey was also the Music Director for the following musical productions at George Mason High School: "Wizard of Oz," "Working," "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," and "Anything Goes." She was a grant recipient from The Washington Post Company Educational Foundation. Mrs. Hersey was a nominee for The Washington Post’s “Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award” in 1995.
Mrs. Hersey studied trumpet with Mr. Don Eagle of the North Carolina Symphony and music composition with Dr. Anthony Vaglio.
Degrees:
Master of Music in Music Education with concentration in conducting, University of Maryland at College Park
Bachelor of Music in Music Education with concentrations in trumpet and composition, Meredith College, Raleigh, NC
Associate in Applied Science in Medical Laboratory Technology, Wake Technical Community College, Raleigh, NC
Mrs. Hersey has been a member of NAfME (formerly MENC) since 1986.
Mrs. Hersey is a volunteer with Bugles Across America to provide the playing of Taps at the funerals of Veterans.
Mrs. Hersey plays trumpet in the pit orchestras of local community theaters.
Mrs. Hersey married her husband Ken in July 1990 and is the proud mom of sons, K.C., 22 years old, and Teddy, 18 years old. When Mrs. Hersey isn’t busy being a “Soccer Mom” or “Music Mom,” she enjoys writing plays, composing, playing the trumpet, and reading.
Mrs. Hersey was a nominee for the Howard County Music Educator of the Year Award in 2004, was the Finalist for this award in 2011, and was the recipient of this award in 2012! She was a nominee for the Grammy Music Educator Award in 2013! Mrs. Hersey was recognized by the Howard County Gifted and Talented Advisory Committee for exemplary commitment to the needs of advanced-level learners and contribution to the Howard County Gifted and Talented Education Program in 2014!
Murray Hill's drama program has grown over the years, and will begin working on their 27th production, "Willie Wonka Junior." MHMS Drama Productions has performed three of Mrs. Hersey’s original musicals including, “Look For A Rainbow,” “And They All Lived Happily Ever After…NOT!,” and “One Day I Will Shine.” They have also performed four of Mrs. Hersey’s non-musical original stage plays including, “At The Mall,” and the trilogy of nursery rhyme plays, “Once…Twice… and Thrice Upon A Nursery Rhyme.” And Mrs. Hersey's skit "The Black History Month Project." For a complete listing of plays performed throughout Murray Hill’s history, go to the drama page on this website.
Mrs. Hersey’s first teaching job was in the Tyrrell County Public School System in Columbia, NC where she taught students in grades 5-12, including Marching Band, Concert Band, and Music Appreciation. While there, the Marching Band participated in marching competitions and parades receiving awards for horn line and drum major. Her students participated in the NC Eastern Division All-District Band and the NC East Coast Honors Band. Mrs. Hersey was also the Assistant Music Director for the drama program at Columbia High School where her original musical, “One Day I Will Shine” premiered in 1990.
After getting married and moving to Maryland, Mrs. Hersey taught vocal music in grades K-6 in the Prince George’s County Public School System at Adelphi Elementary, Cherokee Lane Elementary, and Thomas Stone Elementary Schools. She was also involved in music and drama productions at all three schools.
Prior to teaching at Murray Hill, Mrs. Hersey was the Director of Bands for the Falls Church City Public School System in Virginia where she taught for six years at George Mason Middle/Senior High School and Thomas Jefferson Elementary School. She taught Band in grades 4-12, International Baccalaureate Music in grades 11-12 and Music Appreciation in grade 6. She was also the Head of the Fine and Performing Arts Department and was responsible for developing and maintaining Department Curriculum. She started the International Baccalaureate Music Program for the International Baccalaureate Program at George Mason High School. Her students participated in the All-District Band, All-Regional Orchestra, District Concert Band Festival, VMEA 50th Anniversary Honors Orchestra, and in the All Virginia Band and Orchestra, and other various competition festivals. Her Wind Ensemble was chosen to perform at the Kennedy Center as part of their Grand Foyer Series. Her original vocal composition, “The Harmony of You and Me,” premiered at the Kennedy Center’s Very Special Performing Arts Program in 1993. Her Elementary and Middle School Bands were featured on the “Today Show” with Willard Scott. Mrs. Hersey was also the Music Director for the following musical productions at George Mason High School: "Wizard of Oz," "Working," "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," and "Anything Goes." She was a grant recipient from The Washington Post Company Educational Foundation. Mrs. Hersey was a nominee for The Washington Post’s “Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award” in 1995.
Mrs. Hersey studied trumpet with Mr. Don Eagle of the North Carolina Symphony and music composition with Dr. Anthony Vaglio.
Degrees:
Master of Music in Music Education with concentration in conducting, University of Maryland at College Park
Bachelor of Music in Music Education with concentrations in trumpet and composition, Meredith College, Raleigh, NC
Associate in Applied Science in Medical Laboratory Technology, Wake Technical Community College, Raleigh, NC
Mrs. Hersey has been a member of NAfME (formerly MENC) since 1986.
Mrs. Hersey is a volunteer with Bugles Across America to provide the playing of Taps at the funerals of Veterans.
Mrs. Hersey plays trumpet in the pit orchestras of local community theaters.
Mrs. Hersey married her husband Ken in July 1990 and is the proud mom of sons, K.C., 22 years old, and Teddy, 18 years old. When Mrs. Hersey isn’t busy being a “Soccer Mom” or “Music Mom,” she enjoys writing plays, composing, playing the trumpet, and reading.
mrs. Hersey's award speech
after receiving
howard county music teacher of the year award
2012
Music is and always has been a part of my life. When I was really young, my dad and my great-uncle would get together to play music on the guitar and banjo just for fun. Neither of them read music very well, but that didn’t stop them from having the time of their lives as they played music and sang together. As a kid, I didn’t realize how important those living room concerts were to me, but now I look back on them and realize that thanks to my family, my love for music started at a very young age.
I never learned to play the guitar or the banjo very well, but I did learn to play the trumpet, and over the years, I’ve had some amazing teachers that had a huge impact on the teacher, musician, composer and writer that I’ve become. Because of these teachers, I know how influential a teacher can be on the lives of the students that they teach, and this is something that I always try to remember when teaching my students.
My goal as a music teacher is to teach my students to love music. But it goes beyond that. Performing in a band, chorus, orchestra or on stage in a drama production teaches students the value of teamwork, cooperation, and pride in doing well as they work together to complete a finished product. Performing in these groups instills confidence in all students involved. And Murray Hill students love to perform! Students not only participate in band, many of them also sing in the chorus, play in the orchestra, and participate in the drama productions each year.
I’m one of the originals at Murray Hill. I’ve been there since the school’s opening in 1997. In these 15 years, the band program has grown from fewer than 50 students to over 150 students. We’ve gone from one concert band to three concert bands and an award-winning jazz band. We just completed our 21st Drama production, and are already in the planning stages for next year’s musical. Each year we strive to be better than we were the year before, and each year, my students rise to the occasion!
I know I’ve done my job as a teacher when I go out to the high schools and to local colleges to see my former students still performing and loving it! The number of former students that return to Murray Hill willingly and lovingly to participate in alumni performances and to help out with concerts and drama productions speaks volumes. At our Decade of Drama performance, I was thanking one of our alumni for returning to participate, and I’ll never forget his comment. He said, “I wouldn’t have missed this for the world. This stage at Murray Hill is where it all began for me.” He graduated from college a couple of years after that performance and is now a vocal music teacher.
I would like to thank the School Board for allowing me this time. And I would also like to thank the Howard County Parents for School Music and the Music and Arts store for their support of this award. Many thanks go to my incredible Music Booster parents in particular Bonnie Frazee, Linda Franke, and Mike Colton for their support and nomination for this award. Thanks to my music colleagues at Murray Hill past and present and to my feeder school directors. Thanks also go to the administration, faculty and staff at Murray Hill! And most importantly, I would like to thank my family and share this award with them. To my husband, Ken, and my sons, KC and Teddy. I couldn’t have been awarded this without your love and support!
Finally, I have to say how blessed I am to teach in the Murray Hill Community! It’s more than just a job. It’s a part of my life!
I never learned to play the guitar or the banjo very well, but I did learn to play the trumpet, and over the years, I’ve had some amazing teachers that had a huge impact on the teacher, musician, composer and writer that I’ve become. Because of these teachers, I know how influential a teacher can be on the lives of the students that they teach, and this is something that I always try to remember when teaching my students.
My goal as a music teacher is to teach my students to love music. But it goes beyond that. Performing in a band, chorus, orchestra or on stage in a drama production teaches students the value of teamwork, cooperation, and pride in doing well as they work together to complete a finished product. Performing in these groups instills confidence in all students involved. And Murray Hill students love to perform! Students not only participate in band, many of them also sing in the chorus, play in the orchestra, and participate in the drama productions each year.
I’m one of the originals at Murray Hill. I’ve been there since the school’s opening in 1997. In these 15 years, the band program has grown from fewer than 50 students to over 150 students. We’ve gone from one concert band to three concert bands and an award-winning jazz band. We just completed our 21st Drama production, and are already in the planning stages for next year’s musical. Each year we strive to be better than we were the year before, and each year, my students rise to the occasion!
I know I’ve done my job as a teacher when I go out to the high schools and to local colleges to see my former students still performing and loving it! The number of former students that return to Murray Hill willingly and lovingly to participate in alumni performances and to help out with concerts and drama productions speaks volumes. At our Decade of Drama performance, I was thanking one of our alumni for returning to participate, and I’ll never forget his comment. He said, “I wouldn’t have missed this for the world. This stage at Murray Hill is where it all began for me.” He graduated from college a couple of years after that performance and is now a vocal music teacher.
I would like to thank the School Board for allowing me this time. And I would also like to thank the Howard County Parents for School Music and the Music and Arts store for their support of this award. Many thanks go to my incredible Music Booster parents in particular Bonnie Frazee, Linda Franke, and Mike Colton for their support and nomination for this award. Thanks to my music colleagues at Murray Hill past and present and to my feeder school directors. Thanks also go to the administration, faculty and staff at Murray Hill! And most importantly, I would like to thank my family and share this award with them. To my husband, Ken, and my sons, KC and Teddy. I couldn’t have been awarded this without your love and support!
Finally, I have to say how blessed I am to teach in the Murray Hill Community! It’s more than just a job. It’s a part of my life!