About

Chris Duke

Assistant Conductor, Philharmonia

Christopher Duke is the Associate Conductor of the Golden Isles Youth Orchestra and the longtime Director of Bands at Glynn Academy High School in Brunswick, GA, a position he has held since 2006. At Glynn Academy, he conducts the Wind Symphony and Jazz Ensemble and serves as director of "The Pride of the Golden Isles" marching band. Under his leadership, the band maintains a proud tradition of consistently earning superior ratings and has twice been honored as Grand Champions.

A dedicated music educator with over 25 years of experience in coastal Georgia, Mr. Duke was named the 2015 Glynn Academy Teacher of the Year. Prior to his current tenure, he served as the Assistant Director and Director of Bands at McIntosh County Academy in Darien, GA. Highly respected by his peers, he is frequently sought after as a marching and concert band adjudicator across the region. He maintains active professional memberships in the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA), the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), and the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE).

Mr. Duke earned his B.M.E. in Instrumental Music and M.S.Ed from Troy State University, where he performed under the baton of Dr. John M. Long and Robert W. Smith. Outside of the classroom and the podium, he remains an active musician in his community, serving as a trumpeter, conductor, and featured singer with the First Baptist Church of Brunswick. He is married to Laurena Duke, and they have two children, Will and Kate.

Lucie Akkermans

Philharmonia Manager
Lessons Coordinator
Music Librarian
In-school Instructor

Born and raised in Europe, Lucie Akkermans started playing violin at the age of 8, in the Welsh peripatetic music system. Graduating high school with an ABRSM Grade 8 Distinction in violin, and playing with the National Youth orchestra of Wales, she went on to earn a B.S. in Music from City University, London (now City Saint George, University of London) and a post graduate certificate in Music Therapy from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, UK. Lucie undertook violin performance studies with Professor Mark Knight at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She has performed with numerous orchestras and ensembles in London and in Cambridge, as well as in the Pacific Northwest of America.

Lucie emigrated to the United States in 2000, and has since built a career in music education, with an emphasis on private instruction. She continues to put her expertise and effort into supporting the musical arts for young people and is passionate about being involved in programs that benefit underserved communities.

Lucie resides locally with her children and fur baby.

Dr. Nina Knight

Conductor and Music Director, Symphonette
Ensemble Conductor and Coordinator

Dr. Nina Knight enjoys a versatile career as a performer, lecturer, non-profit leader, and educator. Performance, teaching, and speaking opportunities have taken her to concert halls, conferences, and universities in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Over the past five years, Nina has been working with organizations centered around music advocacy in the non-profit sector.

Nina served as the Executive Director of the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival (AICMF) from 2023-2024. During her time at AICMF she was the founder and musical director of a learning orchestra for participants ages 11-100. Prior to moving to Florida, she was the Director of Operations of Brazos Music, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing high quality inclusive music education and facilitating access to musical opportunities for people of all ages and abilities. Her creative initiatives for community engagement and her love for the next generation of music patrons led her to create a learning orchestra and a fiddle camp in Houston, Texas, in 2022. She is the co-founder of Houston Orchestra for All, an intergenerational performance ensemble and educational program in Houston, TX, dedicated to inclusivity and equitable music education. Her commitment to providing high quality accessible music education and facilitating musical opportunities for all is what inspires her advocacy and motivates her on a daily basis.

In addition to music education advocacy, Nina also maintains an active performance and teaching career. In recent years she has performed as a substitute section violist in the Jacksonville Symphony and Savannah Philharmonic. She has also performed with the Knight-Blahulyak Duo, the Kolonneh String Quartet, the Axiom Quartet (2015-2018), Aperio-Music of the Americas, and the Texas New Music Ensemble. As a collaborative artist she has premiered works for string quartet, viola and piano, viola and cello, and viola and dance.

With over half a decade of experience teaching in higher education, Nina seeks to prepare students for more than their musical goals. Working with university students inspired her to reach out beyond the college classroom and work with musicians from a variety of backgrounds and abilities. By combining compassion, kindness, clear direction, and high-quality instruction Nina provides a safe and nurturing environment in her teaching spaces.

Education

• University of Houston
• Doctor of Musical Arts in Viola Performance, 2019
• Minor in Contemporary Music
• Graduate Certificate in Women Studies
• Georgia State University
• Master of Music in Viola Performance, 2014
• Florida State University
• Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance magna cum laude, 2007

Learn more about Dr. Nina Knight: nbkstrings.com