Dr. Quintus F. Wrighten, Jr.

Director of Bands

Dr. Quintus F. Wrighten, Jr. is the Director of Bands at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC), where he directs the Band of Gold and Wind Ensemble and oversees all aspects of the band program. Prior to his appointment at MGCCC, he served as the Assistant Director of Bands and Associate Director of Athletic Bands at the University of South Carolina (USC). His duties included conducting the University Bands (campus concert bands), teaching courses in conducting and band methods, co-directing the basketball bands, and coordinating the volleyball band. During his time at USC, the University Bands grew to more than 110 members, became a reference recording ensemble for Carl Fischer Music, and regularly collaborated with renowned wind band composers.

Committed to the creation and performance of new music, Wrighten participated in the commission of two new works by Kevin Poelking. He also regularly served as a guest conductor of Symphonic Winds and the Wind Ensemble, giving regional and national College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) tour performances. In addition, The Carolina Band performed in the 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and was recognized three times by the CBDNA for performance excellence. With service at the core of his career, he served South Carolina as the State Chair of the CBDNA and President of the Theta Chapter of Phi Beta Mu.

Wrighten’s previous teaching experience includes serving as Associate Director of Bands at the University of Memphis, as well as public school teaching experience spanning thirteen years in middle and high schools of South Carolina. His ensembles have been recognized on the state, regional, and national levels for consistent performance excellence.

Wrighten earned the Doctor of Musical Arts in Wind Band Conducting from the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music at the University of Memphis, where he studied conducting with Kraig Alan Williams, Albert T. Nguyen, and Nicholas V. Holland, III. He earned the Master of Music Education with an emphasis in Wind Conducting from the University of Southern Mississippi, where he studied with Thomas V. Fraschillo, Gary W. Adam, and Steven R. Moser. He earned the Bachelor of Music from the University of South Carolina.
Wrighten holds additional professional memberships in the National Band Association, American School Band Directors Association, Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, the National Association for Music Education, and the South Carolina Music Educators Association. He also holds honorary membership in Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. In his free time, he enjoys watching sports and spending time with his fiancée, Dr. Lindsey Keay.

Adrienne Cocco

Assistant Director of the MGCCC Bands

Ms. Adrienne Cocco is a native of Ocean Springs, Mississippi. She was previously a band director for the Long Beach School District and is in her 7th year of teaching. In 2016, she graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelors Degree in Music Education. In 2021, she graduated from William Carey with a Masters Degree in Music Education. During her time at USM, she also studied trumpet performance with Jason Bergman and performed at National Trumpet Competition in 2015.

Her musical performance background includes Little Shop of Horrors, Sweeny Todd, Cinderella, and Legally Blonde. Ms. Cocco has performed in various places such as Australia, Carnegie Hall, Seattle, Canada, Chicago, and Hawaii.

She has a private trumpet lesson studio on the Gulf Coast and has been teaching trumpet privately for 16 years. Her students have made a variety of prestigious ensembles such as the Mississippi Lions All-State Band, the GCBDA Honor Band, All-South Honor Band, MSU Honor Band, the U.S Army All American Marching Band, and various Drum and Bugle Corps.

She is very excited to be a part of the faculty at MGCCC and looks forward to working with the Band of Gold.