Brian McMath just retired after twenty-eight years as an educator and his twenty-first year as the Director of Bands for Northwest Guilford High School in Greensboro, North Carolina. He is now moving into the position of Program Coordinator and Guard Director. While at Northwest Guilford, the Viking Band received recognition for their growth, discipline and individual member achievements. Members of the class bands (Concert Band, Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble) are consistently chosen for various All-County, All-District and Honor Bands across the state. At least thirty-five alumni from Mr. McMath’s programs are now music educators or are pursuing careers in music education.​​Under Mr. McMath’s direction, the school’s Concert Band, Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble have consistently earned ratings of Excellent and Superior at Regional and State Festivals. The Wind Ensemble consistently performs grade five and grade six literature at the North Carolina Music Performance Assessment Festival earning Superior Ratings.

 

Additionally, the Marching Viking Band (a volunteer organization) has competed in the Outback Bowl (twice – Grand Champion 2004) in Tampa, Florida and the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona in 2006. They have continued their travel performances to the 2018 Hollywood Christmas Parade in Hollywood, California, the 80th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 2021 and more recently performed at the 2024-25 Rome New Year's Day Parade. The Marching Viking Band has been invited to perform at the Liberty Bowl, the Orange Bowl, the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, the Citrus Bowl, the National Parade in Washington, DC, and the Holiday Parade in Waikiki.​ The inaugural Wind Symphony was selected to perform at the John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center in Washington, DC for the 2020 Sousa Festival.    

 

Mr. McMath was a top 10 finalist out of almost 2,000 applicants for the 2021 GRAMMY Music Educator Award and a Semi-Finalist as well in 2023.  He was awarded the 2021 Central District Bandmasters Award of Excellence for his career in all areas of instrumental music education, having produced excellent groups in the areas of concert, marching, and jazz ensembles.  He was a recipient of the 2019 NC Teaching Hero Award from the North Carolina Lottery.  Mr. McMath has recently been nominated for ‘Teacher of the Year’ at Northwest Guilford as well as recipient of the 2010-2011 Guilford County United Arts Council ‘ARTS Education Teacher of the Year’.  In 2001, he was named Coca-Cola Educator of the Year and “Outstanding Young Educator” by the Asheboro, North Carolina Jaycees.  Mr. McMath has been nominated for “Who’s Who Among American Teachers” by his students over ten times and was recently recognized by the group “Who’s Who In America”. ​

 

Mr. McMath’s educational background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from UNC-Greensboro (1996) as well as a Master of Music degree in Music Education (2010). He also received his National Board Certification in November 2002 and Re-Certification in November 2012. Mr. McMath holds professional memberships in the Music Educators National Conference, the North Carolina Music Educators Association, the North Carolina Bandmasters Association, the North Carolina Association of Educators, the Central District Bandmasters Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity and Pi Kappa Lambda.​Mr. McMath has performed in Switzerland, Italy, France and Monte Carlo with the Greensboro Choral Society. He has conducted in London and York as well as for the Prime Minister of Scotland in April 2001. He has performed in over 10 local theater shows in Greensboro and High Point both on stage and in the ‘pit’. Mr. McMath has previously served on the Board of Directors for the Carolina Winter Ensemble Association as Vice-President (four years) and President (two years). He has built several strong competitive winter ensembles including a Varsity and JV Winter Guard and Winter Percussion Ensemble. These groups continuously compete at local, regional and national competitions under Winter Guard International (WGI). Mr. McMath has traveled with his co-curricular ensembles to Tampa and Orlando, Florida; Dayton, Ohio; Tempe, Arizona; Toronto, Canada; New York City; Italy Greece, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Switzerland and France