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

Robin Gorham
Triangle Youth Academy Brass Band Director

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.