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Meet our dedicated team of directors and instructors.
Preston Ridgell
Preston Ridgell
Band Director
Band Director
I am extremely excited and grateful to work with the talented students at Chamblee High School. I have heard nothing but great things about the band program and community, and I can’t wait to continue the success, and continue to help the program grow!
Mr. Preston Ridgell received his Bachelor of Music in Music Education from East Carolina University, where he studied trombone under Mrs. Nicki McCaslin, and Mr. Terry Mizesko. During his undergraduate years, Mr. Ridgell participated in various marching arts activities, such as Winter Guard International, and Drum Corps International. While performing with groups such as Wake Forest Independent and Carolina Crown, he also helped at local high school programs, which competed in Bands of America.
After graduating from East Carolina University, Mr. Ridgell became the Associate Director of Music at Havelock High School in Havelock, North Carolina. Mr. Ridgell worked with multiple drum corps, as a part of the DCI (Drum Corps International) summer tour, as well as assisted with local high school marching bands in the surrounding areas.
Mr. Ridgell obtained his Master of Music degree in Instrumental Conducting at the University of Florida, studying under Dr. David Waybright, Mr. Jay Watkins, and Dr. Chip Birkner. Serving as a graduate assistant, he worked with various concert bands, and the Gator Athletic Bands.
After obtaining his master’s degree, Mr. Ridgell moved to Venice, Florida where he was the associate director of bands at Venice High School. Mr. Ridgell consistently helped lead his groups to superior ratings throughout the years in his concert, jazz, and marching ensembles. In 2023 and 2024, he also helped lead Venice high school to their first two Otto J. Kraushaar Awards in school history, by obtaining straight superiors at the state level in every ensemble that the school had to offer.
Mr. Preston Ridgell currently resides in the Atlanta, Georgia area where he is the proud director of the Chamblee high school band program.
Mr. Ridgell's professional affiliations include National Association for Music Education (NAfME), Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Zeta Psi Music Fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi Alpha Eta Music Fraternity, North Carolina Music Educators Association (NCMEA), North Carolina Bandmasters Association (NCBA), Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA), Florida Music Educators Association (FMEA), as well as the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA).
Brian Ely
Brian Ely
Assistant Band Director
Assistant Band Director
Mr. Brian Ely has been the assistant marching band director for the past 14 seasons. He is a graduate of Chamblee High School where he played trumpet in the marching band and was drum major his senior year. He then went on to play four years in the University of Georgia Redcoat Band.
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