Bio

Renée E. Todd is a retired band director with a 32-year career in music education, including 13 years as Director of Bands at Ligon GT Magnet Middle School. Under her leadership, the Ligon Band program grew to over 250 members, with three wind bands and two jazz ensembles consistently earning superior ratings at local and national music festivals.

During her tenure, the program achieved national recognition, including being named a National Blue Ribbon “Program of Excellence” by the National Band Association in 2024 and receiving Downbeat Magazine’s Award for Outstanding Jr. High Jazz Performance in 2025. Her ensembles also earned invitations to perform at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in 2019 and the Music For All National Concert Festival in 2020.

Ms. Todd’s contributions to the band community have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Central Region Jazz “Award of Excellence,” multiple “Band Director of the Year” honors, and four Citation of Excellence Awards from the National Band Association. In 2022, she was named one of School Band and Orchestra Magazine’s “50 Directors Who Make a Difference.” She has also been nominated for Wake County Public School System’s Magnet Schools of America Teacher of the Year and honored as Teacher of the Year at multiple schools.

Now focused on her work as a band clinician, mentor, and private brass instructor, Ms. Todd collaborates with school programs, conducts honor bands, and provides guidance to music educators and students. She currently conducts the Brass Choir at White Memorial Presbyterian in Raleigh, and her upcoming engagements include directing the University of Georgia Midfest Honor Band in 2025, the North Carolina Middle School All-State Jazz Band in 2026, and the California All-State Junior High School Band in 2027.

In addition to her teaching and conducting, Ms. Todd remains an active performer, appearing regularly with the Triangle Brass Band and working as a freelance trumpeter throughout the Raleigh area. She also operates the RT Brass Studio, where she teaches private lessons and mentors developing brass musicians.

Ms. Todd holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from the University of Maryland, College Park. She is a member of the National Association for Music Education, the American School Band Directors Association, the National Band Association, the Women Band Directors International, the International Women’s Brass Conference, the North American Brass Band Association, and the North Carolina Music Educators Association.

Honors and Achievements

"50 Directors Who Make a Difference" (2022): Ms. Todd was recognized by the School Band and Orchestra Magazine as the representative from North Carolina, celebrating her significant contributions to music education.
Central Region Jazz Award of Excellence (2023)
NC East Central Band Directors Association Band Director of the Year (2020)
Award of Excellence from the Central District Band Directors Association (2019)
National Band Association Citation of Excellence Award (2024, 2020, & 2019) for outstanding concert band directors whose ensembles have a history of a distinguished level of accomplishment
Jazz Educator of the Year from the NC Central Region Jazz Educators (2018)
Band Director of the Year for the NC Central District (2016)
Nominated as a Finalist in the Maxine Swalin Music Educator Award 2010

Distinguished Band Honors and Awards

In December 2024, the Ligon Band Program was honored as a National Blue Ribbon “Program of Excellence” by the National Band Association.
Invited Ensemble for the 29th Music For All National Concert Festival in Indianapolis- Wind Ensemble 2020
Performing Ensemble at the 73rd Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago - Jazz Band, 2019

Professional Organizations

National Association for Music Education
American School Band Directors Association
National Band Association
North Carolina Music Educators Association.
International Women’s Brass

Professional Development/ Publications

Presenter on teaching Jazz and Jazz literature at the middle school level during Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Summer Band Directors Academy in NYC during June 2024.
Published pedagogy article by the National Band Association on teaching beginning trumpet in the NBA Journal Summer 2023.
Collaboration with composer Tyler Grant’s YouTube series, "Teaching Tone: Successful Sounds from the Start."
In the summer of 2023, presented 2 Professional Development sessions during the North Carolina Bandmasters Association’s Summer Clinic on “Revisiting Best Practices for Trumpet and Horn”.
Everything Band Podcast Interview Episode 127 (Sept 2019)

Band Awards and Achievements

2023-24

NC East Central District MPA (Music Performance Adjudication) - Wind Ensemble Superior Rating - Grade IV and V Music - Straight Superior Ratings and all A's
Festival Disney - Wind Ensemble Superior Rating- Gold Award and Middle School Best In Class
NC East Central District MPA (Music Performance Adjudication) - Symphonic Band Superior Rating - Grade II Music - Straight Superior Ratings
NC Central Region Jazz MPA (Music Performance Adjudication) - Jazz Ensemble Straight Superior Rating and all A's (Jazz music does not have graded levels in NC)
NC Central Region Jazz MPA (Music Performance Adjudication) - Little Blues Jazz Band Straight Superior Rating and all A's (Jazz music does not have graded levels in NC)
NC Central Region Jazz MPA (Music Performance Adjudication) - Ligon Jazz Combo Straight Superior Rating (Jazz music does not have graded levels in NC)

2022-23

NC East Central District MPA (Music Performance Adjudication) - Wind Ensemble Superior Rating - Grade IV Music - Straight Superior Ratings and all A's
Invited Ensemble at the Mid-Atlantic Music For All Regional Concert Festival 2023- Wind Ensemble, College Park MD
NC East Central District MPA (Music Performance Adjudication) - Symphonic Band Superior Rating - Grade I and II Music - Straight Superior Ratings
NC Central Region Jazz MPA (Music Performance Adjudication) - Jazz Ensemble Straight Superior Rating and all A's (only school awarded straight superiors at the event, including high school) (Jazz music does not have graded levels in NC)

Honor Band Conductor/ Clinician

Direct students in an honor band clinic and perform a cumulative concert.
Georgia District V Middle School Honor Band 2025
Hillsborough All County Band Tampa, Florida 2025
Utah State Junior High School Jazz Band Festival Adjudicator 2025
South Carolina Region 3 Middle School Symphonic Honor Band 2024
University of South Carolina High School Honor Band 2024
Marywood University Middle School Celebration Band Scranton, PA 2023
NC Forsyth- Winston Salem All County Middle School Symphonic Band 2023
NC Western All-District Middle School Symphonic Band 2023
NC Eastern All-District Middle School Symphonic Band 2023
Mid Tennessee Middle School All-State Jazz Band 2023
NC Guilford All County Band 2022
South Carolina Region 4 Middle School Symphonic Honor Band 2022
NC Central All-District Middle School Symphonic Band 2022
NC Chatham All County Honor Band 2021
NC Southeastern All-District Symphonic Band 2020
NC South Central All-District Concert Band 2020
NC Davidson All County 2019
University of North Carolina Greensboro Summer Junior Band 2018
NC Northwest All-District Concert Band 2018
NC Durham All-County Wind Ensemble 2018
NC Johnston All-County Band 2017
University of North Carolina Greensboro Summer Junior Band 2017
NC Cleveland All-County Band 2016
University of North Carolina Greensboro Summer Junior Band 2016
NC Association of Independent Schools Honor Band 2014
Several High School and Middle School sectionals with brass instruments.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse