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Normandy. He is assembling a large band<br />
of college students and college alumni<br />
from across the country. They will meet in<br />
Washington, D.C. in early June to practice<br />
before flying to Paris. This anniversary<br />
is especially touching as it will be the last<br />
major celebration for aging veterans who<br />
were involved in D-Day.<br />
“This will be a momentous ceremony<br />
educating college students about the sacrifices<br />
veterans made,” says Corey. “Both<br />
of my grandfathers fought in World War II.<br />
This is an opportunity for me to combine<br />
my profession with my past to honor my<br />
grandfathers and their involvement in the<br />
war. I feel honored to be asked and want<br />
to do something special for those veterans<br />
still living.<br />
“I also feel honored to have my position<br />
at Auburn,” adds Corey. “One thing we try<br />
to teach our students is when you go somewhere,<br />
leave it better than you found it. For<br />
me, I inherited a great band. The band was<br />
good when I came here, so I have simply<br />
strived to make it even better.<br />
“I have always tried to have a positive<br />
impact on the students that I teach and not<br />
just marching and playing, but in life skills<br />
and helping them professionally in different<br />
ways.” Twelve of Corey’s former students<br />
have held band director positions at<br />
other colleges since graduation.<br />
Under his direction, four performances<br />
by the Auburn University Marching Band<br />
have been selected for recognition and<br />
viewing at national and regional conferences<br />
of the College Band Directors<br />
National Association.<br />
He has written a chapter for the popular<br />
marching band textbook The System, and<br />
he is published in five volumes of Teaching<br />
Music Through Performance in Band and<br />
the National Band Association Journal.<br />
“In 17 years we have created a lot of memories,”<br />
Corey says. “The bands have had a<br />
lot of success that we are proud of, and I<br />
credit the students with that. I have been<br />
blessed to have really good students and<br />
good student leaders over the years. They<br />
are passionate about the band and serving<br />
as great ambassadors for Auburn. I feel like<br />
our students have represented the university<br />
and community really well. I am really<br />
proud of that.”<br />
ketball game. They strive to get the crowd<br />
involved and provide unyielding support<br />
for the team, as well as distract the other<br />
team.<br />
Corey and Ashley have a special connection<br />
to Auburn and Opelika and are<br />
involved in both communities. Their children,<br />
Harper, 11, Hannah, 10, and Lucas, 4,<br />
are active in sports and music in the Auburn<br />
area. Harper plays tennis and is a member<br />
of the Drake Middle School Robotics Team.<br />
Hannah attends Pick Elementary and is a<br />
junior golfer, participating in US Kids Golf<br />
tournaments and Drive, Chip, and Putt<br />
events locally. The Spurlin family are members<br />
of Trinity Church in Opelika, where<br />
Ashley often performs as a violinist.<br />
As a professor, part of Corey’s job is to<br />
complete research and creative projects in<br />
his area. He has served as a guest conductor,<br />
adjudicator, and/or presenter for honor<br />
band events, band festivals, and conferences<br />
in 21 different states.<br />
Corey has been asked to direct a national<br />
collegiate mass band at the special 80th<br />
anniversary of D-Day celebrations in<br />
EAST ALABAMA LIVING 13
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