Maurice Burgess

Maurice Burgess serves as Director of Vocal Activities and Piano Studies at Gregg Middle School in Summerville, SC. Prior to this, he has taught as Associate Choral Director with the consistently superior awarding winning choral programs at Dorman High School and as a voice instructor with the Lawson Academy of the Arts for 9 years. Maurice is a graduate of Western Carolina University where he received the Bachelor of Science degree in music education with a double concentration in both vocal and instrumental music. He was also drum major of the Pride of the Mountains for 3 years including conducting the band in exhibition at the 1998 Bands of America Grand Nationals and in exhibition for the Atlanta Falcons’ halftime. He has served as trumpet teacher and clinician, drum major clinician and adjudicator, and has also been on staff for several marching band programs including the 2014 state championship and current SCBDA AAAAA Silver Medalist Summerville Competitive Performance Ensemble. Further vocal experience includes a Master of Music in Voice Performance at Converse College and a scholarship to attend the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria. He is currently principal tenor of The Taylor Festival Choir, a professional chamber choir based in Charleston, SC, and has been featured as a soloist with the group. He has been a judge for SCMEA Choral Division Solo & Ensemble Festival, served as an SCMEA All-State adjudicator and has been a reading session clinician for SCMEA Choral Arts. He has also served as Ethnic/Multicultural Repertoire and Standards Committee Chair for SC ACDA, served as secretary for the SCMEA High School State Choral Festival Committee, and on the Board of Directors for the Spartanburg Repertory Company. His current and former voice students include voice performance and music education majors, collegiate state competition winners, NATS regional finalists and winners, SC ACDA State Honor Choir Members, ACDA National Honor Choir members, SCMEA All State members and consistent top scholarship winners. His private instrumental students include SCBDA Region and All-State band members. He is a 2010 recipient of the NATS Emerging Leaders Award. His professional affiliations include National Association for Music Education, American Choral Directors Association, South Carolina Music Educators Association, National Association of Teachers of Singing, New York Singing Teachers’ Association, International Trumpet Guild, and International Federation for Choral Music.