Staff

John Roberts | Director of Percussion/Arranger

A Native of Lexington, South Carolina, Roberts graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of South Carolina. While at USC, he earned the prestigious Performers Certificate and was inducted into four national honor societies. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Texas with his Masters degree, where he received the Most Outstanding Graduate Student in Percussion Award.

While at North Texas, Roberts served as conductor of the percussion ensemble, served as a teaching assistant, and has recorded with the North Texas Graduate Percussion Ensemble, and the North Texas Wind Symphony. Roberts can be heard on the Mark Customs label with the recently released album Infusion with the UNT Symphonic Band. Roberts is a former section leader for the world renowned North Texas Wind Symphony performing on numerous albums with the Clavier label. Roberts appeared on the celebrated Circus Maximus and Keiko Abe DVD sets.

Roberts has performed in many solo competitions throughout the U.S., placing in top ten spots in all of them. After winning 2nd prize at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention Marimba Competition in 2004, he returned to win 3rd prize in 2005. In 2006, Roberts traveled to Austria, securing a spot in the semi-finals for the first ever International Marimba Competition.

Mr. Roberts is currently completing a doctorate at North Texas under Christopher Deane, Mark Ford, Paul Rennick, and Dr. Robert Schietroma. Roberts recently served as the Assistant Band Director/Director of Percussion at Edinburg North High School.

Jason Frith | Assistant Director of Percussion/Arranger

Jason Frith has been on our percussion staff since 1998. He is responsible for instruction of the front ensemble in the fall and assisting the instruction of all facets of percussion performance at Ridge View.

As a performer, Jason has enjoyed working in several diverse musical idioms. His marching percussion experience includes playing in the USC Drumline (1992-96), and Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps’ front ensemble (1995). Additionally, Jason has also been seen playing around the state in such groups as: Djoliba Don West African Ballet, Borenya West African Ballet, USC Percussion Ensemble, Palmetto Pans Steelband, USC’s West African Drum and Dance Group, and The Palmetto Concert Band.

Aside from working with Ridge View’s percussion sections, Jason has spent the last 16 years working with numerous school percussion ensembles across North and South Carolina. He has been an instructor with the University of South Carolina Drumline (1997-2002), Swansea HS (2002-2005), and Co-Director of the USC Marching Percussion Camp (2001-03, 2005-present).

Jason also serves as director of percussion studies at Blythewood Middle School (2002-2006, 2007-present), as director of percussion with the Kelly Mill Middle School bands (2004-present), and on percussion staff with Blythewood HS (2005-present). Jason also serves as front ensemble instructor and associate director of the CWEA and CIPA gold medalist Verdigris independent indoor percussion ensemble (2006-present).

Jason and his wife Kerry were married May 31st, 2008. The Frith’s live in Northeast Columbia with their daughter Riley and three dogs, Berkley, Elliot Peart, and Maxwell Edison.

Joy Pouncey | Guard Director/Choreographer

New to the staff in 2008, Joy Pouncey will be student teaching in the Columbia area, while writing, teaching, cleaning the color guard for the Ridge View Blazer Band.

Joy is in her final semester at the University of South Carolina, graduating in December with a Bachelor’s Degree in Art Education. After graduating from Irmo High School as a Hi-Stepper in 2004, Joy went on to perform in the Epiphany winter guard (2005), and both the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps (2005) and the Spirit from Jacksonville State University Drum and Bugle Corps (2007). While at the University, Joy participated in the USC Color Guard for the past 4 years, being captain for the last two, both writing and teaching the shows. During this time, she was also a very active member of Tau Beta Sigma, National Service Sorority for members of the Colligate Band. There she served the offices of Historian (2006) and Parliamentarian (2006-07). During the last four years, she has taught color guard at Airport High School (2004-2005) and wrote the choreography for Gilbert High School (2006). As an oboe player, Joy performed as a member of the Symphonic Winds and Concert Bands at Irmo High School. During her tenure there, she was a private instructor for beginning Oboe students. She also performed in the University Band at USC, and played piccolo in both the volleyball (2006-07) and the basketball (2005-07) pep bands.

While studying art at USC, some of Joy’s art works were donated to raise money for Tau Beta Sigma, and the Palmetto Concert Band. She has also had work displayed in the Student Juried Art Show at McMaster, College of Art. Joy’s focus in art is in the fields of ceramics and 3-D design and hopes to someday teach art at a local high school.

Joy lives with her Chihuahua, Davidson, and her two roommates in Columbia while they attend the University. Go Cocks!

Mathew Smith | Director of Jazz/Music Arranger

Mathew Smith has been the Director of Jazz at Ridge View High School since 2003. He also teaches and arranges music for the marching band. Under his direction, the jazz program has grown to include as many as three ensembles that perform at numerous events across the state each spring.

Mathew received his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of South Carolina in 1997 in Music Theory and Composition. While at USC, he performed with the Left Bank Jazz Ensemble, the USC Symphonic Band, Brass Choir, Trombone Ensemble, USC Marching Band, and Carolina Alive stage band, along with a variety of jazz combos. While in school, Mathew toured throughout the southeast with the Root Doctors (trombone) and local ska/funk band Eartha Baxter (trombone/keyboards/vocals). He recently completed a stint with the Columbia-based rock band Autonomous (keyboards/vocals) with John Stout and Craig Butterfield, and can now be seen performing with the Columbia Jazz Orchestra (trombone).

Since 1992, Mathew has arranged, taught and consulted for various band programs throughout South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia, including his current position as jazz director at Blythewood High School and Spring Valley High School here in Richland School District 2. His marching experience includes performing in the Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps (1989) and the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps (1990-1991).

Mathew owns a design and digital recording studio in Northeast Columbia, where he lives with his wife Julia and their five children, Auburn, Riley, Grace, Olivia and Nathan.