As native of Anderson, South Carolina, Ms. Johnson attended Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in K-12 Music Education and studied Clarinet with Dr. Phil Thompson and Mr. Timothy Gordon.  After college and a 3 year teaching stint at Southside Middle School in Florence, South Carolina, she returned to Winthrop full time to complete a Masters of Music Education degree, serving as a Graduate Assistant for the Instrumental Music Department. During this time, she studied both Music Education and Wind Ensemble Conducting with Dr. Lorrie Crochet.

Ms. Johnson continues to make performance on her primary instrument a priority in her life. She is a member of the Carolinas Wind Orchestra and other various small ensembles in the Charlotte area. Her professional affiliations include the North Carolina Music Educators Association, the South Carolina Band Directors Association, the National Association for Music Education, Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honors Society, and Delta Omicron International Music Fraternity. "Music Education is one of the most important, most rewarding careers on this earth. I believe that every child is deserving of an opportunity to experience, create, and perform music in some capacity." 

Meet the other members of our MRMS Band Team! 

Our specialists visit us bi-weekly, thanks to your fundraising efforts and the support of the Marvin Ridge Band Boosters! Our band members have the opportunity to go beyond the standard instrumental music curriculum and have access to additional knowledgeable performers and instructors. 

Austin Thompson, Percussion Specialist 

Austin, based in Monroe, NC, has been involved in the music world for nearly two decades as a performer, educator and adjudicator having started his journey on drumset under the instruction of Curtis Wingfield.  Austin took his first job in high school as a private drumset instructor at Music Matters in Matthews, NC. Austin has performed many seasons as a member in the marching arts, specifically inside of Winter Guard International (WGI) with Paradigm Percussion (2012-2014), Palmetto Percussion (2015, 2016) and Equinox Percussion (2017). After aging out of WGI, Austin joined the staff at Paradigm Percussion as Batterie Coordinator for two seasons (2018, 2019) and has been the Ensemble Coordinator since 2020, leading the group to a Bronze Medal in Percussion Independent A Class in 2019 and venturing into Independent Open Class in 2022.

Austin has served as the batterie technician at various Charlotte area high schools over the past ten years including Sun Valley High, Union Academy, Butler High and Marvin Ridge High all while working heavily with Marvin Ridge Middle School concert percussion over the past six years molding young percussion minds! Austin attended Wingate University having graduated in 2017 with a Bachelors of Science in Environmental Biology. Austin currently holds the following professional positions: Chemistry Teacher at Marvin Ridge High School, Ensemble Coordinator at Paradigm Percussion, Chief Executive at Cloud Music Suite LLC.

Melissa Hagstedt, Trombone Specialist 

A passionate performer, trombonist Melissa Hagstedt has a mission to empower others to find their own unique voice. Evidence of this passion can be found from her time in eGALiterian, an all female brass ensemble that promotes the compositions of female composers. As a founding member of the ensemble, Melissa was instrumental in actively creating a space where all voices felt welcome and worthy of being heard. Her mission continued as she created safe spaces through her work with Azure Family Concerts Pittsburgh, a sensory friendly concert for individuals with Autism where all behaviors are welcome and Project Unmute, a research lab for older adults with changing cognition who participate in a music program delivered by teenage musicians. In her time as the trombone instructor for the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) music extension division program she ensured that her students felt empowered in their musical abilities. With her middle and high school students she encourages them to find confidence through their music making.

Melissa completed her Master of Music at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and her Bachelor of Instrumental Music Performance from New York University (NYU). During her time at these institutions she performed regularly with the school's orchestras and chamber ensembles. While at NYU she received an award for her excellence in Orchestral Studies. During her time in New York City (NYC) Melissa performed regularly with a broad range of  local orchestras, opera companies and musical theater companies. The past few summers Melissa played for Music Academy International’s opera pits, Brevard Music Center’s festival orchestra and college student orchestra and College Light Opera Company who had a digital season for summer of 2020. For this Melissa collaborated and created online content for the Youtube and local television series. 

Jill O'Neill, Flute Specialist 

Jill O'Neill, piccolo specialist and flutist, has served as the Flute Professor at Winthrop University since 1996 and Music Lecturer at York Tech since 1997. Jill developed and instructed the interdisciplinary Arts Performance and Production class ArtsLab since 2008 at Winthrop, and has taught History of Rock-n-Roll, Sound Design and Music for Dance. She is also a member of the Charlotte School of Rock faculty. 

She is the sound designer and composer for Shakespeare Carolina and has won "Outstanding Sound Design" and "Outstanding Original Musical Composition" five times in the Metrolina Theatre Association awards. Jill has performed with Opera Carolina, The Charlotte Symphony, The Augusta Symphony, Columbia Lyric Opera, and many others. Jill is a founding member of Space Daddy & the Galactic GoGos and plays drums, flutes, keys and theremin. Her classical training was completed at West Virginia University, S.U.N.Y. Buffalo, and USC.