SUE NICHOLSON
Sue Nicholson graduated from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Music Education degree. Mrs. Nicholson taught instrumental music for 13 years in Mississippi and 17 years in the Florida panhandle. While in Mississippi, Mrs. Nicholson helped lead the way for the Pearl High School Band to become nationally known at Bands of America competitions, where they consistently were finalists at regional competitions, including 2 time finalists at Grand Nationals. The Pearl Band was the first Mississippi band to be named Overall Grand Champions at a Bands of America Regional. Sue and David together received the Phi Beta Mu Most Outstanding Bandmasters award for Mississippi in 1983. Sue was twice on the staff of the Mississippi Lions All-State Band, including the band’s 1982 three-week tour of South Africa, where the Lions Band performed a field show eight straight evenings at the Durban Military Tattoo.
While in Florida, Sue taught band in Okaloosa and Walton Counties, first at Max Bruner Middle School, the feeder program for the Fort Walton Beach High School Band. She also started the instrumental music program at the Seaside Neighborhood School, Seaside, FL (one of Florida's first Charter Schools) and taught there 7 years. While at Seaside, Sue received the Enrollment Award at FMEA for having over 70% of the school's enrollment participating in band. The band consistently earned Superior ratings at district FBA music performance evaluations. Her Seaside Jazz Band accompanied contemporary jazz saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa at the Seabreeze Jazz Festival, and Ellis Marsalis at the Seaside Jazz Festival.
A member of Phi Beta Mu and the Florida Bandmasters Association, Sue was a WGI judge for 28 years, has judged marching band and winter guard competitions in 26 states, and is a Hall of Fame member of the Gulf Coast Color Guard Circuit.
Sue Nicholson graduated from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Music Education degree. Mrs. Nicholson taught instrumental music for 13 years in Mississippi and 17 years in the Florida panhandle. While in Mississippi, Mrs. Nicholson helped lead the way for the Pearl High School Band to become nationally known at Bands of America competitions, where they consistently were finalists at regional competitions, including 2 time finalists at Grand Nationals. The Pearl Band was the first Mississippi band to be named Overall Grand Champions at a Bands of America Regional. Sue and David together received the Phi Beta Mu Most Outstanding Bandmasters award for Mississippi in 1983. Sue was twice on the staff of the Mississippi Lions All-State Band, including the band’s 1982 three-week tour of South Africa, where the Lions Band performed a field show eight straight evenings at the Durban Military Tattoo.
While in Florida, Sue taught band in Okaloosa and Walton Counties, first at Max Bruner Middle School, the feeder program for the Fort Walton Beach High School Band. She also started the instrumental music program at the Seaside Neighborhood School, Seaside, FL (one of Florida's first Charter Schools) and taught there 7 years. While at Seaside, Sue received the Enrollment Award at FMEA for having over 70% of the school's enrollment participating in band. The band consistently earned Superior ratings at district FBA music performance evaluations. Her Seaside Jazz Band accompanied contemporary jazz saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa at the Seabreeze Jazz Festival, and Ellis Marsalis at the Seaside Jazz Festival.
A member of Phi Beta Mu and the Florida Bandmasters Association, Sue was a WGI judge for 28 years, has judged marching band and winter guard competitions in 26 states, and is a Hall of Fame member of the Gulf Coast Color Guard Circuit.