About Our Director

Liz Savage is the Director of Bands at East Forsyth High School, Gainesville, Ga. Following being awarded the William D. Revelli Award through Bands of America in 1998, Mrs. Savage earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Jacksonville State University in 2002. Since 2002, She has also served as Director of Bands, Colquitt County High School, Moultrie, Ga; Director of Bands at Eighth Street Middle School, Tifton, GA as well as Director of Bands at Handley Middle and High School in Roanoke, Al. In 2007, Mrs. Savage was recognized as Teacher of the Year at Eighth Street Middle School. She was also recognized as the STAR in 2016 at Colquitt County High School.

 Mrs. Savage has been a guest lecturer across the Southeast. In 2022 and 2023, Mrs. Savage Presented a Clinic Entitled "Pumps on the Podium" Advocating for the Female in the Band Room at the National Association for Music Education National Convention and The Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic alongside three other powerful women in music education. She is a sought out adjudicator and clinician in the Southeast. Mrs. Savage is a member of GMEA, PAGE, and NAfME. Liz is married to Aaron Savage, and they have two sons; Jaxon and Cooper. 

Color Guard Staff
Mrs. Bearden is the color guard director and teaches world history and AP World History at East Forsyth High School. She began her color guard career in 2012 at North Forsyth High School and continued on to march with the color guard at the University of North Georgia and Reverie Independent Winterguard. She began teaching color guard at Dawson County High School in 2017 and has additionally worked as a color guard staff member at Johnson High School, West Forsyth High School, and East Hall High School in varying capacities. Mrs. Bearden joined the East Forsyth team as color guard director for its inaugural marching band season in 2021 and has since led the color guard through their first winterguard season in 2022. Mrs. Bearden is so proud to call herself a Bronco and to be a part of the Thundering Herd!

Percussion Staff

Mr. Savage is the current Director of Percussion East Forsyth HS. Mr. Savage also is the Battery Coordinator for Atlanta CV Drum and Bugle Corps and an Ensemble Consulting for Atlanta Quest Q2 Indoor Drumline. He is also the former Director of Percussion at Colquitt Co HS, Tift Co HS, Valdosta State University and the ALLIANCE Drum & Bugle Corps battery coordinator (2005-2006).  He is an active arranger in the Southeast, active clinician alongside Nick Angelis and John Cypert, as well as a DCI alum for both Southwind Drum & Bugle Corps 2000-02 Spirit of Atlanta Drum & Bugle Corps 2003-04. He was section leader for Spirit in 2004. Notable instructors include Jeff Ausdemore, Nick Angelis, Shane Gwaltney, Cliff Walker, Clint Gillespie, and Carl Eppler. Mr. Savage proudly endorses Vic Firth sticks and mallets and Zildjian Cymbals. He currently lives in Dawsonville GA with his wife Liz Savage and two sons, Jaxon and Cooper.