Dr. James Standland

Director of Bands

Dr. James Standland has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from The University of Southern Mississippi, as well a doctorate in musical arts in conducting from the school. He began as a graduate assistant at USM in 2004 and became assistant director of The Pride of Mississippi Marching Band two years later.

He’s been the drill designer and music arranger, as well as director of the basketball pep bands.

Standland has been conductor of the Concert Band, University Band and the Symphonic Winds. He served two stints as director of the marching band, as well. He was previously director of bands at Marianna High School in Florida.

His professional affiliations include the National Band Association, Mississippi Bandmasters Association, College Band Directors National Association, Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity, Percussive Arts Society and American School Band Directors Association MENC.  He was named a Conn-Selmer Education Clinician and received the Florida Bandmasters Association State Student Enrollment Award.

He served as an adjudicator at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade International (Dublin, Ireland, 2016 and 2019); Mississippi MAIS Concert Band Festival (Jackson, 2016); Gulf Coast Band Directors Association McDonalds Scholarship Competition (2017 and 2018); and Gulf Coast Band Directors Association Scholarship Competition (2019).

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.