The ARMES Woodwind program offers young musicians an immersive environment to develop mastery of their instrument while nurturing artistry, musical independence, and confidence. Designed to balance rigorous technical training with collaborative music-making, the program encourages students to grow both as solo performers and as contributing members of an ensemble. Classes are led by professional woodwind musicians who perform in orchestras, bringing real-world experience and expertise to every session.
During the first semester, students focus on building a strong technical foundation. Emphasis is placed on etude preparation, scales, tone quality, and sight-reading, helping students develop independent musicianship skills needed for upcoming honor band auditions..
The second semester transitions to chamber music, where students apply their skills in small ensembles. Working closely with peers, they refine listening, communication, and interpretive abilities while performing challenging repertoire. This experience fosters ensemble awareness and artistic growth in a supportive and collaborative setting.
Classes meet once per week for 2 ½ hours, allowing ample time for focused instruction, ensemble rehearsal, and individual feedback.
By the conclusion of the year, students have refined their technique, deepened their musical understanding, and gained experience performing with others. For parents, the ARMES Woodwind program provides a strong foundation for school bands, orchestras, and future musical opportunities, equipping students with the skills, confidence, and passion to thrive as musicians.
WHAT STUDENTS WILL BE LEARNING IN THE ARMES WOODWIND PROGRAM
Jeana Melilli is the Principal Flute of the Savannah Philharmonic and Third Flute/Piccolo for the Greenville Symphony Orchestra. She is a founding member of two historical performance ensembles—Savannah Baroque and the Vista Ensemble and enjoys performing on both modern and Baroque flute. Her teachers include Carl Hall, Walfrid Kujala, and Carole Bean.
In 2024, Jeana earned her PhD in Musicology from the University of Florida. Her dissertation, Re-examining the Dismissed: Cecilia Macca and Nineteenth-Century Sicilian Sacred Music, revives the sacred music of the Sicilian nun, Cecilia Macca. Her research focusses on eighteenth and nineteenth-century music, particularly in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
Jeana combines her love of teaching, research, and performance working Music Instructor for Greenville Technical College and as the A.R.M.E.S. Woodwind Coordinator for Greenville County Schools.
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Mr. Scott has served as the director of bands at Hillcrest Middle School since 2018. Upon his arrival, the program has more than doubled in size growing to around 350 members annually. In 2019, Mr. Scott founded the Wildcat Winds and led Hillcrest Middle to its first Superior with Distinction rating in school history at the SCBDA Concert Performance Assessment. The school was also awarded its first SCBDA Outstanding Performance Award in 2022. Mr. Scott was selected as Hillcrest Middle School's Teacher of the Year for the 2021-2022 school year and was also recognized as the First Runner Up for Greenville County School District's Teacher of the Year. Since 2022, Mr. Scott and Mr. Jason Ray have co-directed the bands of Hillcrest Middle earning straight Superior ratings in all state and regional contests/festivals as well as earning the Outstanding Performance Award each year from the South Carolina Band Directors Association.
Prior to 2018, Mr. Scott served as the director of bands at Tanglewood Middle School (2010–2018), where he expanded the program to approximately 200 members. Under his leadership, Tanglewood bands earned numerous distinctions, including the program’s first Superior rating at the SCBDA Concert Performance Assessment in 2015 and its first Superior with Distinction rating in 2016. Mr. Scott was honored with a Citation of Excellence in Music Education by Greenville County Schools in 2013 and named Teacher of the Year at Tanglewood Middle for the 2015–2016 school year.
Mr. Scott holds both a Bachelor’s (2007) and Master’s (2009) degree in Music Education from the University of South Carolina, where he was an active member of the Mighty Sound of the Southeast, the USC Concert Band, University Choir, and various athletic pep bands. During graduate school, he served on staff with the Congaree New Horizons Band and founded the Crescent Moon Jazz Band, a beginning jazz ensemble for senior adults. He is an active member of the South Carolina Band Directors Association (SCBDA), South Carolina Music Educators Association (SCMEA), National Band Association, Phi Beta Mu - international bandmaster’s fraternity, and an alumni member of Kappa Kappa Psi, national honorary fraternity for college band members.
Mr. Scott currently serves on the SCBDA Executive Board as the State Chairman for the Solo and Ensemble Committee and as Site Chairman for the Spartanburg Solo and Ensemble site. He also performs as a baritone saxophonist with the Poinsett Wind Symphony (Greenville, SC). Now in his 17th year of teaching, he is supported by his wife Rebekah and their five year old son Graham. In his limited free time, he enjoys family activities, collecting Funko Pops and action figures, hiking, running, and supporting/enduring Gamecock athletics. His favorite Star Wars character is Darth Vader.
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Leigha Turner is a saxophonist, composer, and dedicated music educator based in Greenville, South Carolina. She holds a Master’s degree in Music Composition from Stephen F. Austin State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Georgia, where she studied saxophone under Connie Frigo.
With experience teaching music across all K–12 grade levels, Leigha focuses on building strong technical skills and musical expression in her students. Alongside her classroom teaching, she actively composes original works and makes arrangements for ensembles.
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