Band Directors

CO-Director of Bands

Michael Ball received his undergraduate degree in Instrumental Music Education from Georgia State University with Summa Cum Laude distinction. During his time at GSU, he played trumpet in several ensembles, including the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Panther Band, and Basketball Pep Band. He also served two seasons as Drum Major for the marching Panther Band, worked as a College of the Arts Counselor in the Office of Education Outreach, taught Theory/Aural Skills lessons, and studied under several faculty members as a School of Music University Assistant. In addition to his high school and collegiate band experience, Mr. Ball has also competed in three seasons of drum corps with Atlanta CV and The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps.

Since he began at Duluth High School in Fall of 2020, the band program has nearly doubled in size as it recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, Mr. Ball has taught 3 concert bands, music technology, the Wildcat Marching Band, The JazzCats, Full Orchestra, and Percussion Ensemble. In addition to being the club sponsor for the Wildcat Winterguard and Tri-M Music Honor Society, he has also initiated a Spring Leadership program for music students. Currently, Mr. Ball serves the Fine Arts Department as Music Course Team Lead Teacher.

Mr. Ball’s professional affiliations include the Georgia Music Educators Association, National Association for Music Education, and Professional Association of Georgia Educators. He currently resides in Duluth, GA. Outside of the classroom, Mr. Ball enjoys drinking coffee, learning new instruments, and playing golf!

Meeka Sivilay

Co-Director of Bands

Meeka Sivilay graduated summa cum laude with a Master of Music degree in Wind Band Conducting from Georgia State University under the guidance of Robert J. Ambrose. As a Graduate Teaching Assistant for the University Bands, she conducted and coached a variety of ensembles, assisted with undergraduate conducting instruction, and supported the operations of a large, comprehensive band program. Additionally, Ms. Sivilay worked as the Philharmonia Winds Conductor and Winds & Brass Coordinator for the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestras of Atlanta and is a sought-after clinician for various concert and marching band camp programs.

Prior to her move to Georgia, Ms. Sivilay served as a band director in the Mountain Home (AR) School District, where she conducted the junior high band, taught beginning woodwind classes and assisted with all aspects of the high school band program. Along with her official duties, she assisted with the guard programs and trained marching band student conductors.

Meeka graduated Cum Laude from Arkansas Tech University with the Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education. Her primary teachers were Dan Belongia and Karen Futterer. During her tenure at Arkansas Tech, Meeka served as a student conductor for various ensembles, was an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, and served on local and district-wide executive boards of the Tau Beta Sigma music fraternity.

Ms. Sivilay has been recognized numerous times for her leadership and scholarship, including the prestigious Baton from Tau Beta Sigma, the highest honor awarded for exceptional leadership among active members in the organization. She has also received recognition for being a Top Chapter Scholar of the same organization. In 2019, she was named a Who's Who honoree at Arkansas Tech University, which aims to highlight key members of the University's community. She was most recently selected as one of 14 conducting fellows for the 2024 Midwest Clinic's Reynolds Conducting Institute.

Percussion Director and Arranger

Bryan Wysocki (b. 1995) is a freelance percussionist, composer, conductor, and educator in the metro Atlanta area. He currently serves as the Director of Percussion at Duluth High School, Instructor of Percussion at the Westminster Schools, and as the Percussion Coordinator for the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony.

As a freelance percussionist, his virtuosity and versatility have led to collaborations with orchestras and ensembles worldwide, captivating audiences with his expressive playing. Currently, he is the principal percussionist with the Alpharetta Symphony Orchestra, and frequently performs with chamber groups he co-founded in the Atlanta area. Additionally, Bryan's compositions, ranging from solo percussion works to large ensemble pieces, have garnered recognition for their innovative techniques and emotional depth. As a conductor, he brings his deep understanding of percussion to lead ensembles with precision and passion. Moreover, as an educator, he is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of musicians, sharing his expertise through education and mentorship.

Bryan has degrees from Hofstra University (BS, Composition) and Georgia State University (MMus, Composition & MMus, Percussion), and is in the process of finishing his doctorate at the University of Georgia (DMA, Composition). To learn more about Bryan, please visit: bryanwysocki.com