Richard E. McKee holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Shorter College; and a Master of Music Degree in Music Composition, and Educational Specialist Degree in Music Education from the University of Georgia. He has studied Composition with Peter Dewitt, John Corina, Lewis Nielson, and Michael Hennigan. Rick has completed the Level I, II, III, and master levels in Orff-Schulwerk, studying at Memphis State University. Additionally, he completed Levels I and II of Choral Music Experience training at Elon University and graduate classes in composition at Oklahoma University.
Rick has thirty years of experience as a public school elementary school music specialist. In 2011, he was selected as Elementary Teacher of the Year for the Cobb County School District in Georgia. He has also received multiple Teacher of the Year accolades at schools in Cobb, Floyd, and Whitfield Counties. Early in his career, he taught general music classes in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Additionally, he taught class guitar class and handbells at Shorter College, and classes in music education at Kennesaw State University. Under his direction, the Garden Lakes Elementary School Chorus performed at the 1992 Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference. Rick has served as director of the Rome Children’s Choir and performed as a bassist with the Clocktower Jazz Ensemble in Rome, Georgia. Rick has served as a clinician for large choral events throughout the state of Georgia, including the Georgia Music Educators Association Statewide Elementary Honor Chorus in 2000 and 2012, and numerous district and regional honor choruses. He has an extensive background in church music, having directed children’s, youth, adult, and handbell choirs in churches in Georgia and Oklahoma.
An accomplished composer, Rick’s compositions have been performed throughout the country. His choral works have been featured at multiple ACDA state, regional, and national conference sessions. Rick lives in Cartersville, Georgia with his wife, Angee, who is also a lifelong music educator. He is a staff musician at Sam Jones Methodist Church where he directs the handbell choir and plays in the praise band. He is also a singer-songwriter and hosts a monthly singer-songwriter showcase at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Cartersville. Rick is currently publishing his work through his own publishing company, Cosmic Possum Music. McKee is a member of the National Association for Music Education, Handbell Musicians of America, and the American Choral Directors Association.
Angee McKee holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Berry College, and a Master’s degree in Music Education from West Georgia College. She studied piano with Gershefski protégés, Faye Kesler and Betty Tolbert. Angee has earned level two conducting certification from the Choral Music Experience Institute. She has conducted music education workshops in elementary music education, worked as a consultant and clinician for Yamaha’s Music In Education Program, and has served as a choral clinician for numerous honor choruses throughout the state of Georgia. During her teaching career, Angee supervised numerous student teachers in the field of elementary / general music education. Angee has served as Part-Time Assistant Professor of Music Education at Kennesaw State University, where she taught multiple music education courses.
Currently, Angee is editor and marketing director for Cosmic Possum Music and is co-director of the St. Cecilia Choir at The Episcopal Church of the Ascension, Cartersville. She serves as a choral clinician for district and regional honor choirs. Angee and Rick often co-conduct professional development courses in elementary and choral music education for local school districts.
In 2010, Angee was named Music Educator of the Year by the Georgia Music Educators Association. She was recognized as the 1992 Cartersville City School System Teacher of the Year, as well as other school-level TOTY awards in Cartersville and Bartow County Schools. She was designated as a Master Teacher by the Professional Teacher Education Unit at Kennesaw State University in 1998. McKee is a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, Sigma Alpha Iota, Choristers Guild, the American Choral Directors Association, and the National Association for Music Education.
