Mr. Tony Pike

Director of Bands


Mr. Pike, a native of Hogansville, Georgia, received his Bachelor of Music Education and Masters  degree from Troy  State  University. From 1980-86, he was the band director, elementary  music teacher, and choral director at Straughn School. He then moved to Opp Alabama to serve as Band Director at Opp Middle School and Opp High School before coming to Davidson. Mr. Pike is married to Kimberly Hatcher Pike of Largo, FL and they have one child, Kristen.

 

Mr. Pike has been Director of bands at Davidson High School since 1994. He has established a fine reputation as a marching and concert band adjudicator, clinician, guest conductor, and guest lecturer throughout the United States. The band program at Davidson consists of marching band, symphonic band,  concert band,  jazz band, and numerous chamber ensembles.


Professional associations include Music Educators, National Conference, Alabama Music Educators Association, Alabama Bandmasters Association, Phi Beta Mu, Kappa Kappa Psi, Kappa Delta Pi, National Education Association, Alabama Education Association, and Mobile County Education Association. Mr. Pike was elected to

Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers and Who’s Who in American Education. He has served as Vice-Chairman and Chairman of District VIII ABA 1990-94, Vice-President and President of the Alabama Bandmasters Association 1995-1999 and is currently serving as President of the Alabama Music Educators Association. For the year 1996-97 he was Mobile County Council PTA teacher of the year. Mr. Pike has served as an adjudicator of bands and Drum and bugle corps in GA, FL, AL, TN, MS, LA, TX and London, England.


Under Tony Pike’s direction, the Davidson band has received straight superior ratings in Concert performances at the Alabama State Band Festival and has performed in Orlando, FL; Washington DC, college football games for Troy State University and Auburn University, as well as performing throughout the Southeast. Some of their performances include: The Lord Mayor's New Year’s Day Parade in London England on January 1, 1998, The Music Educators National Conference Southern Division Conference in Tampa, Florida on January 7, 1999, and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas parade at Disney World in Orlando (which was seen nationwide on ABC-TV Christmas evening 1999). The band also performed in the Paris New Year’s parade on January 1, 2001 in Paris, France and was featured in the National Cherry Blossom Parade in Washington, D.C. in the spring of 2002. The band once again performed in the London New Year’s Day Parade on January 1, 2005.

Mr. Tim Beattie

Assistant Director of Bands/Jazz Educator

Percussionist/Instructor

Tim Beattie is a graduate of the University of South Alabama with a Bachelor of Science in Music Education.  He is a participating member of the MENC: The National Association for Music Education and the International Association for Jazz Education.  As a professional percussionist, Tim has devoted his talent and experience as performer, instructor, and band leader.

Tim began playing music his junior year of high school.  He quickly progressed in his percussion studies, and earned music scholarships at two universities.  He accepted a scholarship at the University of South Alabama with a major in music education.  He participated in the U.S.A. Symphony Band, Jazz Band, and the Percussion Ensemble.  During his time at U.S.A. he received the Theodore Presser Scholarship which is given annually to the outstanding music major.  Mr. Beattie finished magna cum laude in the Fall of 2003.

 

Mr. Beattie also enjoys a very active professional music career.  He has played percussion with the Mobile Symphony Orchestra since the Fall of 2002.  Mr. Beattie also has played percussion with the Northwest Florida Symphony, which is based in Niceville, FL, since 2003.  In addition to these professional engagements Mr. Beattie keeps a steady studio of percussion students.
 

Ms. Natalie Ezell

 Visual Ensemble Director
Winter Guard Director

Substitute Teacher Extraordinaire


 Ms. Ezell has served as Visual Ensemble and Winter Guard instructor at Davidson for the past 11 years.  Year after year, she develops the Visual Ensemble into an award winning group.  This is shown by their outstanding record of winning best Color Guard at many of the Contest the band attends yearly. 

Ms. Ezell also serves as Mr. Pike's substitute teacher when he is absent (which seems to be a lot lately) and does an outstanding job of helping to keep the program on track.