Directors/Staff

Dr. Tim Heath
Director of Bands
2019 – Present

Doctor of Education
University of Alabama, Music Education
Master of Arts
University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Music Education
Bachelor of Music
University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Music Education

Dr. Tim Heath is currently the Director of Athletic Bands and Assistant Teaching Professor of Music at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. At Wake Forest, he oversees all aspects of the athletic band program and serves as a member of the conducting faculty assisting the concert bands. Previously, he was the Director of Athletic Bands and Assistant Professor of Music Education at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. He also served as Assistant Director of the Wind Ensemble and was a member of the conducting faculty during his tenure at Samford.

Before teaching full-time at the collegiate level, Dr. Heath was a graduate teaching assistant with The University of Alabama Bands and Music Education Department while pursuing his doctoral studies. Dr. Heath received the Outstanding Instrumental Music Education Graduate Student Award for the 2016-2017 academic school year. He also served as Director of Bands at Spring Creek High School in Seven Springs, NC, before pursuing his doctoral studies.

Dr. Heath is an active clinician and adjudicator for concert bands across the United States. As a music educator, Dr. Heath has presented sessions and research at the state and national levels, published in The Instrumentalist, The National Band Association Journal, and Percussive Notes. Dr. Heath holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a Master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, a Doctorate from The University of Alabama, and a Professional Artist Certificate in Conducting from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Dr. Heath serves on the Small College/University committee of the College Band Directors National Association and is an active member of the National Association for Music Education, National Band Association, College Music Society, Kappa Delta Epsilon Education Fraternity, Mu Phi Epsilon, WASBE, IGEB and is an Honorary Member of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity at the University of Alabama and Wake Forest University.

As a performer, Dr. Heath regularly performs with the Piedmont Wind Symphony, a professional Wind Ensemble based in Winston-Salem, NC. His percussion background includes playing with the Tuscaloosa Symphony, the Alabama Winds, the Greensboro Philharmonia, and other concert ensembles. He is also an active drum set performer.

Dr. Heath is a Conn-Selmer Education Clinician and proudly supports Sabian Cymbals, Blackswamp Percussion, Remo Drumheads, and Innovative Percussion.

Dr. Natalie Smith
Assistant Director of Bands
2023 – Present

Doctor of Philosophy
Auburn University, Music Education; Certificates: College and University Teaching; Program Evaluation
Master of Music
East Carolina University, Music Performance – Flute
Bachelor of Science
Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Music Education

Dr. Natalie Smith

is the Assistant Director of Bands and an Assistant Teaching Professor at Wake
Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. At Wake Forest, she works with the athletic bands and serves as the assistant conductor for the wind ensemble. In addition to her position at WFU, Dr. Smith is an instructor for the Macy’s Great American Marching Band, the premier band of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

A native of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, Dr. Smith earned her Ph.D. in Music Education at
Auburn University with certificates in College and University Teaching and Program Evaluation.
She was a Graduate Teaching Assistant for the Department of Music at Auburn, teaching
undergraduate music major and non-music major courses and performing administrative duties.
During her time at Auburn, Dr. Smith also served as the director of the Auburn Community
Orchestra. Prior to her appointment at Auburn, Dr. Smith served as an elementary instrumental
music teacher for Baltimore County Public Schools. During this time, she also served as the Pep Band Coordinator/Director at Mount St. Mary’s University in Maryland, where she built a new band play at their Division I Basketball games.

Dr. Smith holds a B.S. in Music Education from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and
earned an M.M. in Flute Performance from East Carolina University. While at East Carolina
University she served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for the University Athletic Bands and as
a graduate instructor for the Flute Studio. Dr. Smith is also an active performer. She built and
taught a private studio for flute, saxophone, and piano consisting of students ranging from
elementary to college, and is a frequent clinician and adjudicator. Dr. Smith has also performed
as the 3rd flute/piccolo for the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra in LaGrange, GA, as a substitute flute for the Albany Symphony in Albany, GA, as a guest conductor for the Piedmont Wind Symphony, and as a guest performer and conductor in many professional ensembles. Dr. Smith has presented research sessions at both state and national conferences, and has been published in various educational journals. Her research interests include collegiate music curriculum, urban teaching, performer conductor relationships, and bridging the gap between performers and educators.

Dr. Smith is an active member of the National Association for Music Education, College Music
Society, College Band Directors National Association, National Flute Association, Women Band Directors International, Pi Kappa Lambda Honors Society, and is a honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity and Tau Beta Sigma Honorary Band Sorority. Dr. Smith serves as the Kappa Zeta chapter sponsor of Kappa Kappa Psi at Wake Forest University.

Mary Kathryn Bowman Choat
Assistant Director of Athletic Bands
2024 – Present

Master of Music
University of Texas at Austin, Trombone Performance
Bachelor of Music
Appalachian State University, Music Education

Mary Kathryn Bowman Choat is the Assistant Director of Athletic Bands at Wake Forest University. At Wake Forest, she works with athletic bands at both football and basketball games throughout the year. Prior to her appointment at WFU, she was the Director of the Athletic Band at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In addition to her position at Wake Forest University, Mrs. Choat is in her thirteenth year as the director of bands at Hanes Magnet School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Mrs. Choat received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Appalachian State University where she played on the ASU Women’s Varsity Golf Team. She received her Master of Music degree in Trombone Performance from the University of Texas under the instruction of Dr. Nathaniel Brickens. While at the University of Texas, she traveled with the UT Trombone Choir to Paris to perform in the 2012 International Trombone Festival.

Mrs. Choat has received numerous awards throughout her years at Hanes Magnet School including the American School Band Directors Association (ASBDA) Encore Award in 2016, “Band Director of the Year” for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools in 2017, and the “Outstanding Jazz Educator Award” for the West Region Jazz section of NC in 2019. She frequently serves as a guest clinician for honors ensembles throughout the state.

Mrs. Choat also performs regularly throughout North Carolina in many professional ensembles including Winston-Salem’s only “big band” – Camel City Jazz Orchestra, the Piedmont Wind Symphony (Principal Trombone), and the North Carolina Brass Band.

Mrs. Choat and her husband, Colin, live in downtown Winston-Salem. In her spare time, she is an avid triathlete and most recently competed in the 2023 Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.

Colin Choat
Percussion Instructor
2022 – Present

Master of Music
Appalachian State University, Percussion Performance
Bachelor of Music
University of Alabama, Percussion Performance

Colin Choat is the percussion instructor for the Wake Forest University Athletic Bands. Mr. Choat brings a wealth of knowledge to SOTOGAB and numerous years of experience performing and teaching at the highest level. He is a proud former member of Drum Corps International’s(DCI) Spirit of Atlanta, Magic of Orlando, and the Boston Crusaders, and Winterguard International’s Odyssey Percussion Theatre and Music City Mystique. Mr. Choat continued his involvement with DCI where he served on the percussion staff for the Boston Crusaders from 2008-2009 and 2014-2016.

Mr. Choat attended the University of Alabama(UA) where he performed with the UA Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, and the “Million Dollar Band.” While completing his Master of Music at Appalachian State University(ASU), Mr. Choat performed with the ASU Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, New Paradigm Percussion Quartet, and the Steely Pan Steel Band. He spent the next two years living in Austin, Texas working as Percussion Coordinator for the Manor Independent School District as well as a clinician and adjudicator for numerous school districts in the Austin area. Throughout his youth, Colin studied with world renowned percussion educators including Jeff Fondren, Greg Gumina, Bill Williams, Larry Mathis, Neal Flum, Rob Falvo, Scott Meister, Chauncey Holder, Omar Carmenates, and Ellis Hampton.

For more than a decade, Mr. Choat has been a middle and high school band director with the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. He currently teaches band and chorus at Lewisville Middle School in Lewisville, North Carolina. In addition to teaching, Mr. Choat performs with the Piedmont Wind Symphony and numerous other ensembles in Northwest North Carolina. Outside of music, he enjoys long distance running, mountain biking, and rock climbing. Mr. Choat currently resides in Winston-Salem with his incredible wife, Mary Kathryn Bowman Choat.