Triangle Youth Brass Band Directors

Jesse Rackley

Triangle Youth Brass Band Artistic Director

Watson Brass Band Conductor

Jesse Rackley is the Artistic Director of the Triangle Youth Brass Bands and conductor of the Watson Brass Band, a 30 piece British style brass band comprised of some of the most talented high school brass and percussion players in the Central North Carolina region. Previously, he served as Music Director of the Triangle Youth Brass Ensemble from 2009-2013. Under his direction, the Triangle
Youth Brass Band program has expanded from two to three brass bands as well as a percussion ensemble.

Currently located in Raleigh, NC, Jesse is an accomplished tenor trombone and euphonium performer and educator. He is the Principal Trombone of the Fayetteville Symphony and Tar River Philharmonic and second trombone with the Carolina Philharmonic. He performs regularly with the North Carolina Symphony and has performed with the Virginia Symphony, Charleston Symphony, Wilmington symphony, Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, Durham Symphony and Eastern Music Festival Orchestra. As a soloist, Jesse has been featured with the Triangle Brass Band, Triangle Youth Brass Band, Triangle Youth Brass Ensemble, 440th US Army Band, and East Carolina Tuba Ensemble.

Jesse was the winner of the 2009 and 2007 Southeast Regional Tuba Euphonium Conference’s solo euphonium competition, runner up in the 2002 International Tuba Euphonium Conference’s Young Artist solo competition, semi-finalist in the 2002 Leonard Falcone International Tuba Euphonium Competition, andwas the winner of the 2002 NC Governor’s School Concerto Competition.

As a teacher, Jesse maintains a large and active private studio of over 20 students throughout central and eastern North Carolina. His students consistently receive top honors in the NC All-District and All-State Bands and participate in various summer festivals. Jesse is in frequent demand as a soloist, clinician, and adjudicator throughout North Carolina.

Matt Edwards

Triangle Youth Brass Band Director

Matt Edwards is Director of the Triangle Youth Brass Band (formerly known as the Youth Academy Brass Band). He has been the Director of Bands at Fuquay-Varina High School in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina since 2002. He was previously Director of Bands at Triton High School, Erwin Middle School and Coats-Erwin Middle School. During his tenure at Triton High School the Marching Hawks built a successful competitive marching band while developing a reputation for musical excellence in concert ensembles. The Fuquay-Varina Marching Bengals, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble and chamber ensembles have continued a tradition of excellence under his direction. The Marching Bengals have earned more than 80 caption and class awards over the last five years during competition performances in Georgia, Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina. The Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble receive Excellent and Superior ratings at District MPA while more than three dozen students have earned Superior ratings at the Central District Solo and Ensemble MPA. Students under his direction are regular participants in All-District, All-State and collegiate honor groups. Mr. Edwards is active as a freelance trombonist, performing regularly with the Triangle Brass Band. He has also performed with the North Carolina Wind Orchestra, Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, Cape Fear Regional Theater, Greensboro Philharmonia and the Highland Brass Quintet Mr. Edwards received his Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1996 from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He is a member of the American School Band Director’s Association (ASBDA), North Carolina Music Educator’s Association, Music Educator’s National Conference, Central District Band Director’s Association (CDBA) and the North American Brass Band Association (NABBA). He has served as President of CDBA and was honored as that organization’s Band Director of the Year in 2008.

Robin Gorham

Triangle Youth Academy Brass Band Director

Robin Gorham is the Director of the Triangle Youth Academy Brass Band (formerly known as the Triangle Youth Brass Ensemble) and has taught band for 20 years. She received her undergraduate music degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Masters of Music from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In 2003 she earned National Board Certification; in 2005 she was named “Teacher of the Year” for Coats-Erwin Middle School; and she earned the “Award of Excellence” from the Southeastern Band Directors Association in 2009. She is a member of the North Carolina Music Educator’s Association, Music Educator’s National conference, and the North American Brass Band Assocation. When not at Fuquay-Varina Middle, Ms. Gorham is in demand as a guest conductor, concert band clinician, and adjudicator throughout North Carolina. Ms. Gorham maintains a private horn studio in the Fuquay-Varina area and is the brass instructor for the Fuquay-Varina High School Marching Band. She is an active freelance horn player, performing regularly with the Triangle Brass Band, the NC Brass, and the Triangle Wind Ensemble. She and her husband, Matt Edwards, reside in Fuquay-Varina.

Casey D’Sola

Triangle Youth Percussion Ensemble Director

Casey D’Sola is a percussionist, educator, and composer residing in Raleigh, North Carolina. As a freelance percussionist, Casey performs with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, Carolina Philharmonic, Florence Symphony Orchestra, Raleigh Symphony Orchestra, Durham Symphony Orchestra, Tar River Orchestra, and Triangle Brass Band. Additionally, he was a member of the 2012 and 2013 Cadets 2 Drum and Bugle Corps, performing as a marimbist in the front ensemble.

Casey has performed at several state and national conferences, including the College Band Directors National Conference, Virginia Music Educators Association Conference, North Carolina Music Educators Association Conference, North American Brass Band Association Championships, Great American Brass Band Festival, North Carolina Percussion Symposium and the McCormick Marimba Festival. Casey won the 2019 Taiwan Percussion Arts Alliance Solo Competition, placed second in the 2018 NABBA Percussion Solo Competition and placed second in the 2019 Taipei World Percussion Championships Solo Marimba Competition; winning the Silver Medal. Recently, he was commissioned to write a percussion ensemble piece for sculptor, Wayne Vaughn. His piece, “Steel Mask,” is published by Woodson Percussion and Publishing.

An advocate for quality percussion education, Casey co-founded the North Carolina Percussion Symposium; a weekend event designed to connect high school and collegiate percussion students with some of the very best professional percussionists in the field. A few of the past guest artists include Mark Ford, Paul Rennick, Matt Penland, and She-e Wu.

Casey is currently the Director of Bands at Washington GT Magnet Elementary School and the
concert percussion/front ensemble instructor at William G. Enloe GT Magnet High School in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is also a front ensemble instructor for Green Hope High School, 7th Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps and Equinox Percussion. Prior to joining the staff at Equinox, Casey was the front ensemble caption head and arranger for Alchemy Independent Percussion. In addition to his marching arts positions, Casey serves as the director of the Triangle Youth Percussion Ensemble.

Casey earned a B.M. in percussion performance from James Madison University, studying with C. William Rice, Dr. Michael Overman and Marlon Foster. Casey is a member of the Percussive Arts Society and an artist endorser for Artifact Percussion, Dynasty USA, Sabian Ltd., and Woodson Percussion and Publishing.