Fine Arts Faculty

Ray Harris

Division Head

662-720-7359

B.M.E., Mississippi State University; M.M.E., Mississippi State University; D.M.A., Louisiana State University

Dr. Ray Harris became the head of the Division of Fine Arts in 2012 after serving as a member of the music faculty since 1987. In addition to administrative duties, he teaches piano, Music Appreciation, and serves as the primary collaborative pianist for the music department, accompanying the choir, musical theatre productions, and student recital performances. He is also an advisor for the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society chapter on campus. He holds the Bachelor and Master of Music Education degrees from Mississippi State University and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano from Louisiana State University. He has twice been chosen as Northeast’s Humanities Teacher of the Year, has been named a T.O.P. teacher, and has represented the college at the state capital as a HEADWAE honoree. He is a member of the American Guild of Organists, the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), and the Mississippi Music Teachers Association (MMTA), for which he has served as Vice-President for Public Relations. In addition to his duties at the college, Dr. Harris has served as organist for First Presbyterian Church of Tupelo since 1994.

Terry Anderson, Art Instructor

Jason Beghtol, Assistant Director of Bands, Director of Jazz Band, Brass Instructor

Chris Dunn, Director of Campus Country, Commercial Music and Guitar Instructor

Jenna Fincher, Art

Dr. Amy Langley, Assistant Director of Bands, Woodwind Instructor, Color Guard Instructor

Claire Leeke, Director of Choral Activities, Voice Instructor

Bryan Mitchell, Director of Bands and Percussion

Dr. Amanda Murphy Mattox, Music Theory and Woodwind Instructor

Dr. Amanda Murphy Mattox

Music Theory and Woodwind Instructor

ammattox@nemcc.edu

662-720-7379

Dr. Amanda Murphy Mattox teaches flute as well as Music Theory and Music Appreciation courses at NEMCC. She was named a T.O.P. Teacher in 2007 and 2020 and was Northeast’s HEADWAE recipient in 2013. As Northeast’s 2020 Humanities Teacher of the Year, Dr. Mattox presented “Coming to America: How Immigrant Composers Have Enriched Our Musical Culture” in February 2020. Previously at Northeast, she worked as assistant band director and color guard instructor, taught clarinet, saxophone, and bassoon, and served as an officer for the Northeast Faculty Association. Prior to Northeast, she worked as an assistant band director at Tupelo High School. Dr. Mattox has played flute with the North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra (formerly Tupelo Symphony) since 1998. She has also performed with the Meridian Symphony, the Starkville/MSU Symphony, and the Corinth Symphony. Additionally, she has played woodwinds and keyboard for several Tupelo Community Theater productions. Beyond her teaching duties at Northeast, she has taught private flute and piano to younger students in the community. She is the pianist at Gaston Baptist Church where she also leads the handbell choir and sings in the adult choir. Dr. Mattox received an Associate Arts degree from Northeast Mississippi Community College in 1990. She holds the Bachelor and Master of Music Education degrees from Mississippi State University (1992) and the University of Southern Mississippi (1993) respectively. While at USM, she served as a graduate assistant with the bands and as a flute teaching assistant. Additionally, she received the Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1994. She earned the Doctor of Arts degree in Flute Pedagogy from the University of Mississippi in 1999.

Christopher J. Schager, Theater

Melody Shinn, Art