Andy Empey is in his twenty-first year of teaching and first year as the Co-Director of Bands of Morton CUSD 709. Mr. Empey joins Morton from his most recent position as Director of Bands at Galesburg. Under Empey, the Marching Streaks were a finalist in the Illinois State University Marching Band Championships in 2019 and again in 2023. Additionally, the band attended the Bands of America Super Regional in Indianapolis Indiana for the first time in 2022 and St. Louis in 2023 where they received a division one rating. The Wind Symphony performed in 2022 as one of the three honor bands for the Western Illinois University Showcase of Bands and has performed with the Western Illinois University Wind Ensemble and the Augustana College Symphonic Band. Prior to joining the music staff in Galesburg, Mr. Empey was the Director of Bands at Limestone Community High School from 2006-2018.

Mr. Empey received the B.A. in Music Education from Western Illinois University in 2004 and a M.A. in Music Education from Eastern Illinois University in 2018. He has been active in the marching activity as a trumpet player, being a member of the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps in 1996 and 1998 as well as a member of the 2008 Cavalier Alumni Corps. He was a member of the Star United Mini Drum and Bugle Corps from Indianapolis Indiana from 2013-2017. Additional performing groups include the Prairie Wind Ensemble, Fanfare Brass Quintet, and the Knox Brass Ensemble.

He is married to his wife of over twenty years, Danielle, Librarian at East Peoria Community High School. Mr. Empey has three children: Keaton, attending Illinois State University as a Music Education Major, Bryant, a junior percussionist at MHS, and Abbie, a seventh grade trumpet player at MJHS.