Episode 139 - Jonathan Grantham

Jonathan Grantham is the band director at Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, California. The AVHS Wind Ensemble 1 is making its second appearance at the Midwest Clinic this month. Topics: Jonathan's background growing up in rural Michigan and the band director who inspired him to a career as an educator. The story of Jonathan's first job and the story of why he felt compelled to leave that job and take a break from teaching before moving to California. The culture shock of moving from teaching in Michigan to teaching in California and the instrumental program at Amador Valley High School. The process of applying for the Midwest Clinic, the reaction of his students, and the program that his group will play at the conference. Links: The Accidental Expert Amador Valley High School Music AVHS Wind Ensemble 1 plays Our New Day Begun by Omar Thomas AVHS Marching Band (2018) Grainger: Lincolnshire Posy Biography: Jonathan Grantham, director of bands at Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, California, leads a band program of 350 students involved in five concert ensembles, three jazz bands, a competitive marching band, various chamber ensembles, two winter percussion units, and two winter guards. In his eighteen years at Amador Valley the band program has grown to triple in size and the ensembles have earned consistent superior ratings and high honors. Under Mr. Grantham's guidance, Amador Valley's top wind ensemble has performed at the CBDA state conference three times (2007, 2010, 2018), at WASBE in the summer of 2015 and twice at The Midwest Clinic (2013, 2019). Mr. Grantham is active as an adjudicator, clinician, and guest conductor. He was an executive board member for NaFME/CMEA Bay Section and the Western Band Association and served for several years on the Special Projects Committee for the California Band Directors Association. Jonathan received his bachelor's degree in music education/trombone performance from Central Michigan University, graduating magna cum laude, and earned his master's degree in conducting at the American Band College of Sam Houston State University, graduating summa cum laude. Honors include twice earning the Excellence in Education Award from Pleasanton Unified School District (2009, 2016) and being chosen as Pleasanton Unified School District's Teacher of the Year (2013). Mr. Grantham was honored by the CMEA State Association in 2015 with the Don Schmeer/Byron Hoyt Band Educator Award. In 2018 Jonathan was inducted into the John Philip Sousa Foundation's Bandworld Legion of Honor. He resides in Martinez, California with his partner Ryan.