About the director
Mrs. Shelby Dickey, Director
A native of the upstate of South Carolina, Shelby Dickey joined the Gorzycki Orchestra Program in the fall of 2020. Mrs. Dickey attended Furman University where she received her Bachelor's of Music in Music Education studying viola with Dr. Anna Joiner and piano with Dr. David Gross. She was a dedicated member of the Furman University Symphony Orchestra where she performed under the baton of Dr. Thomas Joiner. Since graduating, Mrs. Dickey went on to run a private studio consisting of over 30 violin, viola, and piano students and working as the String Specialist at Musical Innovations in Greenville, SC. After working as a String Specialist and private instructor, Mrs. Dickey went on to become the orchestra director at Calhoun Academy of the Arts, an arts magnet school located in Anderson, SC. During her time at Calhoun, Mrs. Dickey's orchestra program was the first of it's kind to participate in Solo and Ensemble and receive consecutive superior ratings for 3 years straight. She also assisted with numerous school-wide musicals and went on to become the director of 8 sell-out performances of Beauty and the Beast in Anderson's local children's theatre, Project Challenge Playhouse. She also served as a viola section member of the Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra performing under the batons of Maestra Sarah Ioannides and Maestro Stefan Sanders. She also served as a church musician in various churches around the upstate.
Mrs. Dickey will be starting her eighth year teaching this Fall at Gorzycki Middle School and has been identified as a Distinguished and Highly Effective Educator by the Austin Independent School District. She was also recently named a Quarter-Finalist for the GRAMMY Music Educator Award in April of 2021. Mrs. Dickey recently made her Carnegie Hall debut with the Gorzycki Orchestra in June of 2023. She is proud to continue the tradition of excellence in the GMS Orchestra program by continuing this special tradition and being the only middle school Orchestra program to have performed on this national and prestigious stage. Mrs. Dickey also serves as the Fine Arts Department Head at Gorzycki. In her free time, Mrs. Dickey loves spending time with her family. She has a 6 year old son, Maddox and two dogs, Pongo and Stella. Her husband, Drew, serves as the Associate Director of Bands at the University of Texas. When they are not busy during the school year, Mrs. Dickey and her family love traveling, cooking, and spending time with family in South Carolina.
Mrs. Dickey will be starting her eighth year teaching this Fall at Gorzycki Middle School and has been identified as a Distinguished and Highly Effective Educator by the Austin Independent School District. She was also recently named a Quarter-Finalist for the GRAMMY Music Educator Award in April of 2021. Mrs. Dickey recently made her Carnegie Hall debut with the Gorzycki Orchestra in June of 2023. She is proud to continue the tradition of excellence in the GMS Orchestra program by continuing this special tradition and being the only middle school Orchestra program to have performed on this national and prestigious stage. Mrs. Dickey also serves as the Fine Arts Department Head at Gorzycki. In her free time, Mrs. Dickey loves spending time with her family. She has a 6 year old son, Maddox and two dogs, Pongo and Stella. Her husband, Drew, serves as the Associate Director of Bands at the University of Texas. When they are not busy during the school year, Mrs. Dickey and her family love traveling, cooking, and spending time with family in South Carolina.