The Team
Who We Are
Aaron Garland,
Band Director
Aaron Garland is currently the Band Director at Gilmer High School and assists with the Clear Creek Middle School Bands. Mr. Garland is a native of Ellijay, Georgia and a graduate of Gilmer High School, where Mr. Steve Calhoun and Mr. Joe Pflueger were his band directors. Mr. Garland holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama, a Masters of Music Degree in Instrumental Conducting from the American Band College of Sam Houston State University, and the Educational Specialist Degree in Music Education from Piedmont College in Demorest, Georgia. Mr. Garland was previously the Director of Bands at Ringgold Middle School and Assistant Band Director for the Ringgold High School Band in Ringgold, Georgia.The Ringgold Middle School bands consistently received straight Superior Ratings in the Georgia Music Educators’ Association District 7 Large Group Performance Evaluations. Mr. Garland has had several students selected to participate in the GMEA District 7 Honor Bands, the UGA Middle School Honor Band, the JSU Honor Band, and the Georgia All State Band. The Ringgold Marching Tiger Band was named Grand Champion 11 out of 14 competitions entered during Mr. Garland’s time at Ringgold. For the 2016-2017 school year, the Ringgold Middle School Symphonic Band was the recipient of the “Exemplary Performance Award” for excellence in all state sponsored music events from the Georgia Music Educators Association. Mr. Garland has conducted honor bands in Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia, including GMEA Districts 6, 10, and 11. Mr. Garland is a member of the Georgia Music Educators Association, The National Band Association, The National Association for Music Education, the Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, and is an elected member of the American School Band Directors Association. As a trombonist, has performed with the Northwinds Community Band in Gainesville, Georgia, the Piedmont Winds Community Band in Demorest, Georgia, and the Jericho Brass Band in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Mr. Garland is also on the staff of Encore! Summer Camps for Band held at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, Georgia each year. Mr. Garland serves as a band guide for the Chick Fil A Peach Bowl for bands from around the country that participate in the Peach Bowl parade and festivities. Mr. Garland is excited to be back in the mountains of Gilmer County and to work with the young people in his hometown.
Holly Kinsey
Assistant Band Director
Ms. Holly Kinsey is in her seventh year as a music educator serving as Band Director at Clear Creek Middle School and Assistant Band Director at Gilmer High School. A 2012 graduate of Northwest Whitfield High School in Tunnel Hill, Georgia, Ms. Kinsey began conducting at the age of 15 when she was first selected as a drum major for her high school band for her sophomore year. Before graduating, Ms. Kinsey was selected six times to the GMEA District 7 Honor Band, five times to the GMEA All-State Band, and was a 2012 member of The United States Army All-American Marching Band, an honor given to only 125 high school seniors nationwide. Ms. Kinsey also performed frequently with the Chattanooga Clarinet Choir in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In her senior year, Ms. Kinsey was named a National Merit Scholar, which granted her a full-ride to The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where she studied under Dr. Kenneth Ozzello (Director of Bands), Mr. Randall Coleman (Assistant Director of Bands), and Dr. Osiris Molina (Professor of Clarinet). Ms. Kinsey is a 2016 Magna Cum Laude Honors College graduate of The University of Alabama where she earned both a Bachelor of Science in Instrumental Music Education and a Bachelor of Music in Clarinet Performance. While at UA, Ms. Kinsey was a four-year member of The Million Dollar Band, serving her sophomore year as clarinet section leader and as drum major her junior and senior year. Ms. Kinsey is proud to have been a part of the first ever all female drum major team at the University in the fall of 2015, an honor which was written about in multiple publications including The New York Times. As a part of the Million Dollar Band, Ms. Kinsey traveled across the country cheering on the Crimson Tide Football Team to two National Championships and three SEC Championship wins. In addition, Ms. Kinsey performed as the bass clarinetist with The University of Alabama Wind Ensemble and The Huxford Symphony Orchestra. While in college, Ms. Kinsey was involved with Sigma Alpha Iota, an international music fraternity focused on service through music, and The University of Alabama Community Music School where she taught private lessons to clarinet students. Ms. Kinsey graduated with a Master’s of Music Education in May of 2023 from the University of Florida. In addition to her active schedule as both Clear Creek Middle School Band Director and Gilmer High School Assistant Band Director, Ms. Kinsey is a member of the Dalton-Whitfield Community Band under the direction of Mr. Smitty Barnett. Under Ms. Kinsey’s direction, the Clear Creek Middle School Band has consistently received superior ratings at LGPE. Her students have been selected for ensembles such as GMEA District Honor Band, GMEA All-State Band, University of Alabama Honor Band, Young Harris Honor Band, and others. Ms. Kinsey is a member of Georgia Music Educators Association, Alabama Music Educators Association, National Band Association, International Clarinet Association, Intertel, and Mensa International.
Jessica Kamholz
Colorguard Coordinator
Jessica Kamholz is in the 13th year as a Colorguard Coordinator for the GHS band. Ms. Kamholz grew up in Buffalo, NY and started marching in the East Aurora Middle School Marching Band playing flute and began spinning flags and rifles. With the four years with EAMS she performed at Cedar Point in Ohio and the St. Patrick's day parade in New York city. Ms. Kamholz marched nine seasons with Effervescence Winterguard competing all around the Northeast and Canada. She marched in 2002 with Patriots Drum Corps traveling to Madison, WI to perform at world championships for DCI. And marched six years in the Erie County Pepsi-Cola Marching Band. Ms. Kamholz has been director of the GHS Winterguard program for the last six years. In that time the Winterguard has medaled twice at SAPA Championships in Chattanooga, TN and been moved up three times in class rankings.
Chandler Bentley
Marching and Music Technician
This is Mr. Chandler Bentley’s first year working with the Gilmer High School Marching Band. Mr. Bentley attended Gilmer High School and was in the GHS Band, where he played trumpet and mellophone. After graduating from GHS, he attended Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama and majored in Music Education. While at Jacksonville State University, Mr. Bentley played french horn in the JSU Symphonic Band, JSU Wind Ensemble, and JSU Civic Symphony. He was also in the music fraternity, Delta Omicron, from 2020-2022. Mr. Bentley was also a member of the Marching Southerners as a mellophone player from 2019-2023. This is Mr. Bentley’s first year teaching in the Gilmer County School District. He will be teaching elementary music at Mountain View Elementary.
Foster Simmons
Percussion Coordinator
Mr. Foster Simmons currently lives in Ellijay, GA, where he is the Music Specialist at Clear Creek Elementary School and the Percussion Coordinator at Gilmer High School. Mr. Simmons studied music education at Kennesaw State University and graduated in 2019. While at KSU, he studied piano under Robert Henry and percussion under John Lawless. He played piano and percussion in several major KSU music ensembles such as the Concert Band, Wind Symphony, Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Collaborative Piano, and the Marching Owls. Mr. Simmons is currently enrolled in the University of Florida to obtain his masters degree in music education by 2024. Additionally Mr. Simmons plans on obtaining his specialist degree sometime in the future. Outside of KSU, Mr. Simmons has competed, performed, and taught with many organizations such as: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, Atlanta Steinway Society, GMTA State competitions, CMTA competitions, and many more. In his free time, Mr. Simmons likes playing ultimate frisbee, disc golf, and hiking. He and his beautiful wife, Grace, are members of First Baptist Church of Ellijay where Mr. Simmons is a member of the praise and worship team. Mr. Simmons is a member of the Georgia Music Educators Associate, National Association for Music Education, Georgia Music Teachers Association, and the Atlanta Steinway Society.
Josh Shute
Percussion Technician
Josh Shute began his music career as any musician, in high school. After graduating Cherokee high school, he helped to begin the indoor marching competition team known as Pariah based in Woodstock, GA at that time. After his time with Pariah he was a drum tech with a local band touring the metro Atlanta area. Josh is a retired Communications Officer with the Cherokee County Marshal’s office 9-1-1 division after 25 years. He now works as the band paraprofessional teacher with CCMS and GHS bands.
