Jim Kirkpatrick joined NCSSM-Morganton as a music instructor in June 2022. He has enjoyed a thriving career teaching music for over 25 years. He previously taught at T.C. Roberson High School in Asheville, and West Forsyth High School and North Forsyth High School in Winston-Salem. Jim has enjoyed performing as a percussionist with the Asheville Steel Band and the MidEurope Word Adult Wind Orchestra Project in Schladming, Austria, and is also Conductor Emeritus of the Asheville Community Band. He is a Past Fellow at The Kennedy Center for Performing Arts and has served as guest conductor and adjudicator for music festivals across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. He assists with the Hendersonville Symphony Youth Orchestra and has regularly conducted bands at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro Summer Music Camp since 2002. Jim has been selected by his colleagues for several recognitions, including the WSFCS Band Director of the Year, the NCBA Award of Excellence, and honorable induction into the American School Band Directors Association. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, yoga, and exploring the hiking trails of Western NC with his spouse, Joseph, and rescue dog, Surya.   BM, Percussion and Music Education, University of North Carolina at Greensboro MM, Conducting and Music Education, University of North Carolina at Greensboro