DIRECTORS

KAY OWENS

Kay Owens is in her 41st year of teaching secondary choral music.  Prior to joining the Arlington Independent School District in 1993, she taught elementary, junior high and high school choirs in Natchez Public Schools, Natchez, Mississippi and Tupelo Public Schools, Tupelo, Mississippi.   She received a Bachelor of Music Education degree with emphasis in piano and voice from Mississippi State University in 1983, and a Masters of Music in choral conducting from Mississippi College in 2000.  She studied with Dr. Richard Joiner and Dr. James Meaders.

Presently Ms. Owens is in her twenty-sixth year at Martin High School.  During her tenure as the assistant director at Martin, Chamber Singers performed at the 1999 Fringe Festival in Aberdeen Scotland, TMEA and ACDA in 2005.  Owens was named the Head Choral Director 2006.  Chorale debuted at Carnegie Hall in the 2006 National Youth Festival sponsored by Carnegie Hall.  The Martin Varsity Women's Choir performed at the prestigious Texas Music Educators Association convention in 2008.  The Martin performing arts department was named the 2009 Grammy Foundation National winner which awarded the department a $10,000 grant and a GRAMMY!  In 2012 the Martin Chorale was invited to perform at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center in New York City.  The Martin Chamber Singers were one of nine high school choirs to perform at the 2013 National ACDA Convention in Dallas, Texas. In 2016, the Martin Chamber Singers performed at 2016 TMEA convention and Chorale performed along with the Martin Wind Symphony and Martin Symphony at Carnegie Hall. 

Ms. Owens is a member of Texas Music Educators Association, America Choral Directors Association, Texas Choral Directors Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association.  Kay was voted by her peers as Teacher of the Year in 1996.  Owens was named the recipient of the 2000 Abbot-Ipco Scholarship presented by the Texas Choral Directors Association.  Kay has served Region 5 Vocal Division as secretary, chair-elect and chairman. Owens served on the TCDA Executive Board from 2009-2011 as secretary/treasurer.  In 2009, Owens was named the Distinguished Alumna of the College of Music for Mississippi College.  In May 2010, Owens was named the AWARE Foundation runner-up winner.  Owens was selected as one of the 2012 UIL Sponsor Excellence Award winners of Texas.  Owens was named 2016 teacher of the year for Martin High School. Kay resides in Arlington. 

Jocelyn Epley

Jocelyn Epley is in her 23rd year of teaching and her 3rd year as the associate director at Martin High School. She previously taught at Boles Junior High for the last 13 years as the head director and before that as the assistant at Nichols Junior High for 7 years.  Choirs under her direction have consistently earned Sweepstakes awards at UIL and Best in Class at the Hurricane Harbor Contest.  The Boles Show Choir has won Grand Champion at the Hurricane Harbor Festival.  Jocelyn received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Stephen F. Austin State University in December of 2001.  While at Stephen F. Austin, she was the student director under Dr. Tim King.  She was a member of Mu Phi Epsilon Fraternity and was named President in her junior year.  Jocelyn recently graduated with her masters in Educational Leadership in May of 2022 from SFA as well.

Jocelyn is a product of the Arlington Independent School District where she attended Butler Elementary, Shackelford Junior High and graduated from Lamar High School in 1997. 

Jocelyn’s professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Choral Directors Association, and Texas Music Adjudicators Association. She has been a guest clinician for All-Region choirs across the state as well as adjudicates UIL contests. She was the 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year at Boles Junior High and the 2018-2019 Kiwanis Teacher of the Year.

Jocelyn is married to her wonderful husband and biggest supporter, Stephan Epley.  We are the proud parents of three awesome children, Peyton, Kennedy, and Preston and a sweet dog, Maisie.

Christy Dickerson

Christy Dickerson is honored to be the new associate director of Martin High School Choirs. Currently in her 11th year of teaching, she began teaching at the middle school level at Fannin Middle School in Grand Prairie ISD, where she taught for 4 years, before moving to the high school level and teaching at Bowie High School for 5 years. While at both programs, student involvement in the choir department steadily grew, and Mrs. Dickerson’s choirs consistently earned excellent and superior ratings at contests and had members chosen to be in Region Honor Choirs.

Before becoming an associate director in the Martin High School Choral program, Mrs. Dickerson took a year off from teaching full time to teach private voice and piano for many students at Martin High School, Arlington High School, and around DFW.

Having studied piano since the age of 5, Mrs. Dickerson has loved playing piano since a young age. She currently enjoys accompanying for many groups throughout Texas, including region choirs, school musicals, community musicals, concerts, recitals, and contests.

Mrs. Dickerson graduated from Dallas Baptist University with her Bachelor of Music Education degree in December of 2012.

Currently, Mrs. Dickerson resides in Grand Prairie with her corgi, Evie, her lovely daughter, Nora, and her wonderful husband, Josh, with whom she is expecting a baby boy, due in April of 2024.