My name is Nickey Horner and I am so excited to be joining the Bandys Community as the new band director at Bandys High School. I have been involved in band programs for over 30 years. I began my band career at George Wythe High School where we had an extremely successful program. In 2001, my husband and I came to North Carolina, and I chose to stay at home with our young daughter, Sydney, who is now 24 and pursuing a doctoral degree in flute performance at UMKC. I have spent the last 10 years at Maiden High School, where again we have built a very successful program. Music is my passion, so much so that I am involved in and conduct in several community bands and jazz bands. I am a co-conductor in the Lenoir Concert Band as well as the conductor of the Newton Conover Community Jazz Band. I have played and conducted in groups both in Virginia (Wytheville Community Band) and North Carolina (Mitchell Community College Band and Jazz Band, Newton Conover Community Band and Jazz Band, Sylvio Martinet Swing Band, Lenoir Community Band as well as a founding member of the Catawba Valley Brass.)
As a teacher, I hope to provide students with opportunities to excel and be successful and to enjoy the same love of music and performance. Music teaches life lessons and skills which will help students to succeed far beyond their school careers and to make memories that will last a lifetime. My goal is to teach them to believe in themselves and what they can accomplish through teamwork and dedication and to know the sense of family these experiences create. There is simply nothing like the process of making music with other people and it truly takes a village to make it happen.
I am beyond excited to begin this new chapter at Bandys High School as a member of the Bandys community and look forward to continuing to grow the band program into something special for the students and the community. So, let’s get started Rowing the Boat!
Nickey Horner
Bandys High School
Director of Bands
Brass Instructor
Woodwind Instructor
Guard Instructor
Percussion Instructor
The Bandys High School Band has enjoyed a tradition of excellence over its more than 50 years of existence, earning superior ratings both on the field and on the concert stage from the North Carolina Bandmasters Association as well as other professional organizations. Major accolades of the Trojan Marching band include their participation in the 1996 Austrian Festival and the 1993 Presidential Inaugural Parade. The band regularly participates in local parades in Catawba and surrounding Counties and carries its pride to competitive opportunities throughout North Carolina.
The BHS band originated with the school in 1954 and saw one of the first high-school marching bands in Catawba County. After a short hiatus, the BHS Band was reestablished in August 1969 by director Mike Smallridge. Other directors over the years have been Sam Harbinson, Ben Keisler, Nathan Brown, Uriah Futch and Jason Partridge. The Current Director of Bands is Nicky Horner. The Bandys Band consists of many performing ensembles including the Marching Trojan Band, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Winter Guard.