Directors & Staff

Matt Minick

NLHS Director of Bands

Matt Minick is a MattMinick.jpg1989 Magna Cum Laude graduate of East Carolina University with a Bachelors degree in music education. He also is a National Board certified teacher in adolescent music education.

Mr. Minick taught for 11 years at Fieldale-Collinsville High School and George Washington Carver Middle School before moving to Cary High School in NC where he taught for 19 years. Mr. Minick has taught middle school since 2019 in Lynchburg Virginia at Linkhorne Middle School and assisted at E.C. Glass High School until his selection as director at North Lincoln High School. He was a member of the 1987 World Champion Garfield Cadets and writes music arrangements for bands across North Carolina and Virginia.

Mr. Minick also judges marching band and concert bands across the region.

Jennifer Burhans

NLMS Director of Bands

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Ms. Jennifer Burhans is a native of Lincoln County, and is the current Band Director at North Lincoln Middle School. After graduating from West Lincoln High School, she attended Western Carolina University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Music Education, and a Bachelor of Arts in Music. While there, she studied Flute under the late Dr. Eldred Spell and studied conducting under Dr. Margaret Underwood. 

During her time at WCU, Ms. Burhans was an active member in WCU’s top performing concert ensembles and athletic bands. She served as Flute Section Teaching Assistant and Staff Coordinator for the “Pride of the Mountains” Marching Band. Ms. Burhans also held professional membership and leadership positions in WCU’s chapter of the International Music Fraternity, Sigma Alpha Iota, in which she earned the “Sword of Honor” for distinguished membership.

Ms. Burhans is passionate about Music Education, and is excited to bring her energy and dedication back to the programs that first inspired her.

Christyl Barber

Percussion Director

img_6224-1.jpgChristyl Barber holds a degree in music education from Appalachian State University where she attended from 2003-2007.  Ms. Barber works as the percussion director for the North Lincoln “Band of Knights” serving as instructor for marching, concert and Indoor percussion. Over the years,
Christyl has helped to establish the award winning North Lincoln Percussion ensemble program at North Lincoln High School.  North Lincoln Percussion has received many superior ratings under her direction and instruction including: being named the 2014 CIPA Indoor Circuit, PSA class Champions, 2015 CIPA PSA Bronze medalists and most recently the CWEA Circuit PSA 2016 Silver Medalists.

Over the past 7 years Ms. Barber has made a name for herself by writing and arranging percussion books for both the outdoor and indoor arena for a number of schools which include: North Lincoln High School, Chase High School, St. Stephens High School, East Burke High School and Gaffney High School.  Over the past 3 years, Ms. Barber has been working as percussion specialist in the schools teaching beginning to advanced percussion to North Lincoln High School, North Lincoln Middle and East Lincoln Middle School students.  Ms. Barber has been working as a private percussion teacher giving lessons to students year round in the Lincoln County area since 2008.  Many of her students have auditioned and been accepted into honors bands, universities and other higher level performing ensembles.

Andrew Quillen

Hornline Instructor

12208868_548439848639491_357907620066869966_n.jpgAndrew Quillen was an original member of the North Lincoln Band of Knights and a member of the school’s first graduating class in 2005. He joined the North Lincoln band staff in 2008 as the assistant brass instructor and has been the head brass instructor since 2011.

Andrew also currently serves as the public address announcer for the Roundtable Tournament of Bands. He can often be heard at competitions yelling encouragement to the students before and during their performance. In his eleventh year on staff he is looking forward to helping continue the tradition of excellence at North Lincoln.

Nikki Parker & Kaylee Biggers

Color Guard Instructors

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Hey everyone! We are Nikki Parker (left) & Kaylee Biggers (right). We both graduated from A.L. Brown High School in Kannapolis, in 2019. Nikki just graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Commercial Photography and Kaylee is currently enrolled at App State studying to be a Veterinarian Technician. Both Nikki and Kaylee have spun in WGI with The District Presented by Étude, Étude A and Étude World. We are both thrilled to join North Lincoln “Band of Knights” and can’t wait to get started with the color guard!

Nick Francis

Percussion Instructor

Bio_NickFrancis_crop.JPGNick Francis is a 2019 Graduate of UNC Charlotte, where he studied percussion with Rick Dior, and received a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education.

While he was at UNC Charlotte, he was an inaugural member of, and became a section leader of the "Pride of Niner Nation Marching Band." In 2018, Nick marched WGI Open Class finals with Civitas independent.

For the past 5 years, Nick has taught K-5 Music in Gaston County, and has worked with, and written for multiple marching percussion sections in the Charlotte area.