HOME
Shelby Dickey is a native of upstate South Carolina and joined the Highland Park Orchestra Program in the fall of 2025. She earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Furman University, where she studied viola with Dr. Anna Joiner and piano with Dr. David Gross. While at Furman, she was an active member of the Furman University Symphony Orchestra, performing under the baton of Dr. Thomas Joiner.
Following graduation, Mrs. Dickey ran a successful private studio of over 30 violin, viola, and piano students and worked as a String Specialist at Musical Innovations in Greenville, SC. She later became the orchestra director at Calhoun Academy of the Arts, an arts magnet school in Anderson, SC. At Calhoun, she built a thriving orchestra program that became the first in the school’s history to participate in Solo and Ensemble, earning consecutive superior ratings for three years. In addition to her work in the classroom, she directed eight sold-out performances of Beauty and the Beast at Anderson’s local children’s theater, Project Challenge Playhouse, and assisted with multiple school-wide musicals.
As a performer, Mrs. Dickey was a viola section member of the Spartanburg Philharmonic Orchestra, performing under Maestra Sarah Ioannides and Maestro Stefan Sanders. She also served as a church musician for various congregations throughout the region.
In 2020, Mrs. Dickey moved to Austin, Texas, to join the orchestra faculty at Gorzycki Middle School. During her tenure there, she led two orchestras to perform at Carnegie Hall—in 2023 and 2025—making Gorzycki the only middle school in Austin ISD with a tradition of performing at the prestigious venue. Her dedication to excellence earned her recognition as a Distinguished and Highly Effective Educator, and she was named a GRAMMY Music Educator Award Quarterfinalist in April 2021. She also served as Fine Arts Department Head during the 2024–2025 school year.
Outside of teaching, Mrs. Dickey enjoys spending time with her family. She and her husband, Drew—Director of Athletic Bands at Texas Christian University—have an 8-year-old son, Maddox, and two dogs, Pongo and Stella. Together, they enjoy traveling, cooking, and visiting family back home in South Carolina.
