Dr. Jeffords was involved and attended the National Brass Symposium held at Kennesaw State University from June 10-12, 2011. "It was one of the greatest educational and arts forums ever", exclaimed Dr. Jeffords. This event brought the top brass players in the United States to Marietta to teach hundreds of registrants (from students to professors). Top brass players were assembled from the Atlanta Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Detroit Symphony and the Axiom Brass Quintet. Here, the registrants performed with the top artists. The students has lessons, master classes, and coaching. Concerts were held nightly.
This National Brass Symposium is the vision of the Freddy Martin family. Freddy Martin (Dr. Jeffords' high school band director) has distinguished himself as one of the top band directors in the United States. He presently holds the title of Director of Bands and The Westminster Schools of Atlanta, Georgia. He is a sought after adjudicator for bands, a lecturer at the famed Midwest Band Directors Convention, founder of Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corp. and a member of the DCI Hall of Fame. Freddy and wife, Lynda, are the founders of Spirit Camp, a leadership camp for high school band students.
Lynda Martin is an accomplished pianist and singer. She is also an accountant and the organizational brains of the National Brass Symposium. She is former high school choral teacher and sings in the famed Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus. She is also a former office manager and present accountant for Dr. Jeffords
Christopher Martin and Michael Martin are the visionaries of this education forum. Commitment to music education is a family business and the Martin's sons want to bring the talent back to their home. They were responsible for this program's development and recruitment of the finest brass players in the United Stated to Georgia. Christopher Martin is the principal trumpet of the Chicago Symphony. Michael Martin is a gifted arranger/composer and member ot the Boston Symphony's trumpet section.