Bryan Morgan

CompositionConcert BandDigital Music ProductionMusic Theory
Written By Dr. Elisa Janson Jones
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Bryan Morgan (b. 1988, Birmingham, AL) is an American music educator, composer, and arranger.

Morgan earned a Bachelors of Arts degree in Music with a concentration in composition from Duke University. He studied composition under Dr. Anthony Kelley and Professor Stephen Jaffe. While studying, Morgan also started at Center on the Offensive Line for the Duke Blue Devil Football Team.

He earned his Masters in Music Education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), where he studied clarinet under Dr. Denise Gainey. While getting his masters, Bryan Morgan served as the Official Arranger and Assistant Instructor for the Pride of Chilton County Marching Band in Clanton, AL. and an AFAA certified personal trainer at the Hoover YMCA where he continued his passion to serve people by guiding them to a healthier lifestyle.

From 2016 to 2023, Morgan was a member of the Music Faculty at Mercersburg Academy (Mercersburg, PA). He was the Director of the Chorale and Jazz Band, Assistant Director of the Concert Band, Digital Music teacher, Defensive Coordinator for the varsity football team during the fall term, a member of the Strength and Performance Team working with winter sports, and Advisor for eight boys in his affiliated dormitory. In 2020, he was named the Director of Music.

Now, Morgan resides in Astoria, NY as he is currently studying at New York University looking to earn his second masters degree in Screen Scoring.

 
 
 

  • With my performing ensembles, I liked to give them a "carrot" for the end of the year. It usually is a piece of music that I know at the beginning of the year would be more than likely be too big of a reach for them to do well. I would show it to them and tell them that this piece is absolutely possible but no without work. As we go through the year, I give them pieces and assignments that will help them build their musicianship so when it's time to pass out the challenging piece, they are already brimming with excitement but they also are technically prepared.

  • At my last school, we hired a music teaching fellow and I mentored them throughout the year. We would have weekly meetings to talk about their progression but also the students in our ensembles. A lot of times in their fellow meetings, they would discuss verbiage that may not have translated directly to music education so I offered assistance to help put in terms what we do for others to understand. I would give the fellow ample opportunities to lead the rehearsals and take over parts of the concerts. We would sometimes film the rehearsals and review afterwards to see where we can be more efficient with our time as we got students prepared.

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Dr. Elisa Janson Jones

Dr. Elisa Jones designs and scales learning systems for organizations and individuals. With an EdD in Instructional Design, an MBA in Strategy, and 20+ years building education platforms, she combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution experience.

She works at the intersection of people, systems, and technology—helping leaders and learners see what's actually working and what needs to change. Her approach is diagnostic, grounded in real-world constraints, and focused on outcomes that stick.

Learn more about her work at sovereign.plus, elisajones.ai, and the Music Teacher Guild.

https://elisajanson.com
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