In this episode, we interview Ms. Shawn Morton, orchestra director at Duluth High School in the Gwinnett County Schools in Georgia about her experience going back to school amid the COVID-19 pandemic. She is slated to introduce students with face to face learning in the next few weeks and discusses her current online teaching and her preparations for face to face.
Shawn Morton is beginning her fourteenth year as an orchestra teacher in Gwinnett County. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and a minor in viola performance. While attending UGA, Mrs. Morton was a member of the Honors program and was president of the UGA chapter of the American String Teachers Association. Mrs. Morton also holds a Masters of Business Administration from Shorter College. Mrs. Morton conducts the Gwinnett County Kendall Youth Orchestra, and she has worked as a sectional coach with the Gwinnett County Youth Symphony, and she has served as a clinician for local school orchestras, the Spivey Hall Chamber Orchestra Workshop, The Gwinnett County Violapalooza Festival, The Gwinnett County Tapestry Workshop, the UGA Summer Music Camp and various other workshops and clinics. Mrs. Morton also maintains a private studio. Her students have been named as members of Kendall Youth Orchestra, Gwinnett County Youth Symphony, Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra, Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the Georgia All-State Orchestra. In addition, Mrs. Morton’s orchestras have performed at the 2007 Midwest Clinic, 2009 American String Teachers Association Conference and the 2011 Georgia Music Educators Association In-service Conference, 2013 National Band and Orchestra Festival at Lincoln Center, and the 2014 Midwest Clinic. Mrs. Morton is a member of the American String Teachers Association, Georgia Music Educators Association, Professional Association of Georgia Educators, and Sigma Beta Delta . She resides in Buford with her husband Dale, son Hudson and dogs Harmony and Mozart.
Contact Shawn at shawn_morton@gwinnett.k12.ga.us
