Andrew Melton
Seeking a music position in international schools
Age:
Nationality:
Certified:
E-mail:
Phone:
Skype:
Website/Podcast:
38
USA
ESL through TCNJ
aemelton@aol.com
993 387 028 (Peru)
aellismelton
http://aemelton.com
Education:
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Bachelor of Music with Honors, Berklee
College of Music, 1999 (Conducting, Film
Scoring, Piano)
Graduate Diploma, University of Southern
California (USC) Film Scoring Program, 2007
ESL Teaching Certificate from The College of New Jersey, 2009
Master of Education, The College of New Jersey, 2011
Teaching:
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Band, Choir & Strings Teacher, FDR (American School of Lima, Peru), 2012 to present
Band & Choir Teacher, American School of Marrakech, Morocco 2010-2012
Teacher of Musical Improvisation at IO West & Second City, Los Angeles, CA, ages 8 to 18,
2003-2009
Assistant Band Director, Koiwa Middle School, Chiba, Japan, 2000-2002
Guest lecturer & artist, American School In Japan, Tokyo, in 2008, 2009 & 2010
Taught instrumental performance, improvisation, composition, and singing in the high school
Professional Experience & Initiatives:
• Band & Choir Coordinator, SAAC Performing Arts Festival, Lima, Peru, March 2013
• Organized guest musician visits, including Patricia Ramirez-Gaston (Sept. 2012), well-known
Peruvian pianist, Kathleen McIntosh (Nov. 2012), harpsichordist who has performed the world
over, Jiovanni de Pedro (Apr. 2013), Prof. of Piano at Millsaps College in Mississippi, USA
• Director, the Fantasticks, FDR (Amer. School of Lima), 2014
• Music Director of theater productions at FDR, including Little Shop of Horrors, James & The
Giant Peach, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, and The Miracle Worker, 2012-2014
• Musical Director & Composer, Open House (feature film, musical starring Sally Kellerman)
• Producer, Symphonic Sherpa (music education podcast), at aemelton.com and iTunes
Musical Compositions:
• Won Third Prize, Frank Ticheli International Band Competition with Game Time
• Rejoice, a piece for band, choir and strings, performed at the SAAC fine arts festival in Chile, 2014,
in honor of Nelson Mandela
• Ten pieces for Concert Band (MS & HS levels), some published by Grand Mesa Publishers.
• Arrangements for choir and band, commissioned by The American School In Japan and FDR
• Arrangements for the ASIJ Spring Musicals, 2008 & 2009
Other Interests:
• I grew up in international schools (Riyadh and Tokyo).
• I speak Japanese and Spanish, plus basic French.
• I am a skilled user of professional music software including Finale, Digital Performer and Sibelius.
My Story
I grew up overseas in Riyadh and Tokyo while my parents were international school teachers.
I have many of the third culture kid characteristics: I love exploration, I have no problem with
transitions, and I look at the world from an international perspective.
I graduated from Berklee College of Music in 1999 and immediately returned to Japan to
teach in a Japanese middle school. I have since been a guest of my high school in Japan, ASIJ, three
times. It was a joy to return to such a great school and work with the kids in the band, choir,
composition class, and spring musical. I then moved to Los Angeles to teach, play piano in theaters,
and compose. There I earned a master’s level certificate from the University of Southern California
and teaching certification from TCNJ.
I then spent two wonderful years at the American School of Marrakech, where I built up
bands and choirs along side the full IB program, and organized the first evening performances in the
history of the school.
I am now in my second year of teaching band and choir at the American School of Lima, aka
FDR. I have launched two choirs, expanded the band and strings programs, worked in musical
theater, and made use of our gorgeous new performing arts center.
I am able to teach band, orchestra, choir, and general music/music technology. In
Japan, Morocco and Peru I have been called upon to work in all of these areas, and have loved them
all. I bring my experiences as a professional musician in Los Angeles into the classroom, which
hopefully adds extra resonance for the students. I encourage creative ideas on the part of the
students, which has lead to innovative arrangements for choir and various combinations of
instruments.
I am able to direct and/or musically direct musical theater. Working in Lima with
greats in theater education, like Randy Moss and Jess Dennis, taught me much. I love to direct or
musically direct theater productions.
Outside of the classroom I hope to attract students of all ages to after school musical
groups such as jazz bands, pop choirs, guitar classes, composition, and activities centered on the local
culture. I am also a big believer in community service, and have supervised students in grades 7-10
working with organizations such as Techo and CreaMas.
My goal as a teacher in international education is to teach the curricular material, give
students performance opportunities, and help them develop a global perspective. More specifically, I
have successfully balanced the IB curriculum with performance preparation. International schools are
wonderful and culturally diverse places. I want to share my excitement for the world of music with
my students.
References:
Kerry Jacobson, Head of School
Colegio Roosevelt
kjacobso@amersol.edu.pe
Chris Akin, HS Principal
Colegio Roosevelt
cakin@amersol.edu.pe
Russ Jones, former Head of School
Colegio Roosevelt
1senojr@gmail.com
Jean Brugniau, Head of School
American School of Marrakech
jbrugniau@asm.ac.ma
Brent Huber, Music Teacher
American School In Japan
altempo@mac.com