Matthew James Cotton is currently Director of Musical Activities at the Marc and Eva Stern Math and Science School in Los Angeles, California. Prior to his appointment in Los Angeles, Mr. Cotton was the Director of Bands at the Marietta Sixth Grade Academy. Additionally he has served as an Adjunct Professor of Music at the University of South Carolina Sumter and taught in the public schools of Sumter, South Carolina and Wrens, Georgia. The bands under his direction have been praised for their musicality and enthusiasm and have received Superior and Excellent ratings.
Mr. Cotton graduated from the University of Georgia in 2000 with a Bachelors of Music in Music Education, from Central Michigan University in 2003 with a Masters of Music in Music Composition Performance, and from Nova Southeastern University with an Educational Specialist in Brain Research. He is currently working on the requirements for the Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Southern California in Music Education.
Mr. Cotton has studied conducting with H. Dwight Satterwhite, John Culvahouse, Yoel Levi, and Carlton Woods; composition with David R. Gillingham and Augusta Reed Thomas; and has worked with the famous tenor Jerry Hadley.
He has held and holds memberships in the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, the California and Georgia Music Education Association, the South Carolina Music Education Association, TI:ME, Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity (Kappa Mu chapter of the University of Georgia) and Phi Mu Alpha National Music Fraternity (Nu Pi chapter of the Central Michigan University).
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