All Region Orchestra South

Kathleen Swayze is a violinist and violist, originally from Northern VA. She earned a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Indiana University and a Master of Music Education Degree from Butler University. She taught middle school orchestra for 23 years in the Indianapolis area and is now freelancing and teaching lessons. Kathleen is a published composer of string orchestra music for young people, and is hoping to publish her first novel soon; it's entitled "Mary Anne's Rhapsody," about a violinist. She was awarded Outstanding Middle School Educator by the Indiana Music Educators Association (IMEA) in 2012. She's also very proud of her legacy as a 30+-year veteran goalkeeper in the Central Indiana Women's Soccer League.  

David F. Eccles is a native of Norfolk, Virginia. He currently serves as Orchestra Program and Upper School Orchestra Director at The Lovett School in Atlanta, Georgia. In the spring of 2022, he was honored with the O. Wayne Rollins Master Teacher Award. For over a decade, he was the Director of String Music Education and Orchestral Activities at VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, Illinois. He has held string education positions in Georgia, Virginia, and Florida. An active clinician, adjudicator, conductor, and cellist, Eccles has served as music director and principal conductor for numerous youth orchestras. He has also served as a guest conductor for many state, county, regional, and community orchestras.

Mr. Eccles has presented education sessions at several local, state, and international conferences, including The Midwest Band and Orchestra Directors Clinic & Conference, American String Teachers Association Conference, Georgia, Texas, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Florida Music Educators Conferences. Mr. Eccles is a clinician and consulting author for the Hal Leonard Corporation. Additionally, he is a featured string educator in the book, Rehearsing the High School Orchestra.

He holds advanced degrees in Music Education from Florida State University and University of Miami (Florida) and a Bachelor of Music and Media from Norfolk State University. His principal teachers include Elizabeth Eccles, Laurien Laufman, Ross Harbaugh, and Dr. Michael Allen.

David is a member of the Georgia Music Educators Association, National Association for Music Education, Phi Mu Alpha, Phi Kappa Lambda, and the Georgia Chapter of American String Teachers Association.