Prior to his appointment at Furman, Dr. Hicken was the Director of Bands at Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio. Under his direction, bands from both institutions have performed at state and regional professional conventions.

In addition to his duties at Youngstown State, Dr. Hicken was the director of the Youngstown Symphony Youth Orchestra and was a clarinetist in the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra. Earlier, Dr. Hicken was employed as an instrumental music teacher in the Durham (NC) County School system for five years. In addition, he was a member of the United States Military Academy Band at West Point, NY, where he served as a clarinetist.

Dr. Hicken is very active in the public school system, appearing as a guest conductor and adjudicator throughout Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Dr. Hicken is a member of the South Carolina Music Educators National Conference, the College Band Directors National Association, the National Band Association, The International Clarinet Association, and the South Carolina Band Directors Association. He belongs to Phi Kappa Lambda, Phi Beta Mu, and is an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music, a Masters of Arts in Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a Doctorate in Music Education from Indiana University. He has studied clarinet with D. Stanley Hasty, Leon Russianoff, and Bernard Portnoy and conducting with Dr. J. Marion Magill, Dr. Robert Klotman, and Ray Cramer.

James F. Kilgus, Conductor Repertory Orchestra and Concert Orchestra, received his Bachelors of Music degree in Music Education from Furman University, and his Masters Degree in Music Education and Conducting from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Mr. Kilgus serves as principal trumpet of the Piedmont Brass Quintet. Formerly a Director of Bands at Greer High School and Greer Middle School, he currently serves as Director of Bands at Mauldin Middle School. Mr. Kilgus is Minister of Music at Eastlan Baptist Church.

Ginger Greer is a violinist and conductor from Greenville, South Carolina.  A National Board Certified Instrumental Music teacher, Mrs. Greer teaches at Eastside and Riverside High schools as the Orchestra Director, and serves as the lead string teacher for Greenville County.  Within the Greenville County Orchestra system, she leads the Junior Sinfonia String Orchestra, the first orchestra in the All County Orchestra System that rehearses more than 200 young string players weekly during the school year.

As a violinist, Mrs. Greer has performed with the Asheville Symphony, Brevard Chamber Orchestra, Charlotte Philharmonic, and the Greater Anderson Musical Arts Consortium.

Mrs. Greer is a graduate of the University of South Carolina where she received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Education.  During that time, she performed with the University Symphony and Chamber Orchestra.  Also during her college years, Mrs. Greer was trained in string pedagogy through the nationally acclaimed String Project, a training program for rising string educators.  Mrs. Greer is currently pursuing her Master of Music Education through Boston University.