Biography
Corey LaMon Graves is in his fifteenth year of teaching and opened Tony A. Jackson Middle School in Forney ISD as it's new head director in the Fall of 2021. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Graves served as the head director of Roma Middle School for eleven years. Mr. Graves received his Bachelor of Music Education degree as a summa cum laude graduate from Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) in 2007. Mr. Graves earned a Master of Music in Euphonium Performance from The Ohio State University (OSU) as a graduate fellow in 2008.
Mr. Graves is a Bill and Melinda Gates Millennium Scholar and the Region XV Middle School Coordinator. Bands under his direction have consistently received superior sweepstakes ratings at UIL Concert and Sightreading Contest, and have also earned high levels of recognition at both the state and national stage, being recognized as a National and Commended Winner in The Foundation for Music Education National Wind Band contest from 2013-2019. The RMS Symphonic Winds have been consistent state finalists in the Texas Music Educators Association Honor Band Competition, being recently honored as the 2020 TMEA CC Honor Band.The RMS Symphonic Winds were also invited to perform at the 70th Annual Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, Illinois. The RMS band program is a 2019 recipient of the John Philip Sousa Foundation Sudler Silver Cup Award and named a Rio Grande Valley Program of Distinction. Mr. Graves was chosen as Roma ISD’s 2013 Secondary Teacher of the Year and named the Phi Beta Mu Texas Young Bandmaster of the Year in 2017. He is an active clinician, adjudicator, guest euphoniumist, sits on the Board of Directors for the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, and maintains professional affiliations with Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, the UIL Prescribed Music List Committee, and Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society.
Mr. Graves has also contriubted to the books Foundations: The Fundamental Elements for Building a Successful Middle School Band Program and Rehearsing the Middle School Band.
Mr. Graves credits his passion for music to his mother, Brenda M. Moore (who is affectionately known as “Mama Graves” by his students), his drive for success to his grandmother, Mrs. Vergie Graves, and his love of education to an incredible list of music educators across the country.