Email: emily_oyan@ccpsnet.net
Ms. Emily M. Oyan is in her twenty second year of teaching, having spent the last eighteen years as director of bands at Lloyd C. Bird High School. She is a five-time honor band director and has led the Skyhawk Band to fifteen superior ratings at Concert Band Assessment, having not performed in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19. Previously, she taught at Bailey Bridge Middle School in Chesterfield County and Nottoway High School (Nottoway County, VA). While at Bailey Bridge Middle School, she conducted the 7th grade band and the Jazz Band and was Assistant Band Director for the Manchester High School Lancer Band.
In addition to teaching in public schools, Ms. Oyan maintains a small private lesson studio teaching flute, bassoon, and piano. In 2018, she taught adjunct bassoon masterclasses for the James Madison University Summer Band Camp. She graduated from James Madison University in 2002 and received her Master’s in Music Education from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2006. She is a founding member and performs regularly as co-principal of the bassoon section of the Commonwealth Winds. Prior to her daughter’s birth she was principal bassoonist of the Richmond Philharmonic Orchestra (2004-2010), performed with the European Wind Ensemble of Richmond (2002-2006), and has played flute and bassoon professionally in various ensembles.
In 2022, Ms. Oyan received the Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts Outstanding Music Educator Award and was invited to be the Keynote Speaker for their Preservice Music Teacher Induction Ceremony. In 2020 she was awarded the Superintendent’s MERV Award (Making Education Relevant in Virtual Teaching) for the Skyhawk Band’s virtual performance of “In The Hall of the Mountain King”. She was a Teacher of the Year Finalist in both 2023 and 2016, and was named a Conn-Selmer VIP Band Director in 2019.
She has been a VBODA Concert Assessment Judge for the past twelve years, and has been a guest concert band and marching band clinician for multiple bands in the Richmond Metro Area. She recently guest conducted the District I All-District Middle School Band (2024); conducted the District I All-District Concert Band (2017); and guest conducted the Chesterfield County All-County 7th grade band in 2010. Ms. Oyan is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi: National Honorary Music Fraternity, NAfME, and the Virginia Professional Educators Association.
Ms. Oyan resides in Midlothian with her daughter Maddie, dogs Sydney and Annie, and rescue cat Cora.
