Directors
The conductors of the Triangle Brass Band and the Triangle Youth Brass Bands.
Jesse Rackley
Artistic Director, Triangle Brass Bands · Conductor, Triangle Brass Band and Watson Brass Band
Jesse Rackley serves as Artistic Director of the Triangle Brass Bands and conductor of both the Triangle Brass Band and Watson Brass Band. An accomplished tenor trombone and euphonium performer and educator, Jesse maintains an active career as both a musician and teacher throughout North Carolina.
Jesse is Principal Trombone of the Fayetteville Symphony and performs regularly with the North Carolina Symphony. He has also performed with the Virginia Symphony, Charleston Symphony, Greensboro Symphony, Winston-Salem Symphony, Wilmington Symphony, Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, and Eastern Music Festival Orchestra.
As a soloist, Jesse has been featured with the Triangle Brass Band, 440th U.S. Army Band, East Carolina University Tuba Ensemble, and numerous high school ensembles throughout North Carolina. His competition accomplishments include winning the euphonium solo competition at the Southeast Regional Tuba Euphonium Conference in both 2007 and 2009. He was also a runner-up in the 2002 International Tuba Euphonium Conference Young Artist Solo Competition and a semifinalist in the 2002 Leonard Falcone International Tuba Euphonium Competition.
As an educator, Jesse maintains a large and active private studio throughout central North Carolina. His students consistently earn top honors in the North Carolina All-District and All-State Bands and participate in a variety of summer music festivals. Jesse is also in frequent demand as a soloist, clinician, and adjudicator throughout the state.
Jesse lives in Morrisville with his two sons, Noah and Ryan, and his partner, Cindy.
Matt Edwards
Director, Triangle Youth Brass Band
Matt Edwards is in his twenty-second year as Director of Bands at Fuquay-Varina High School. Under his direction, the bands of Fuquay-Varina High School have have continued a long tradition of musical excellence, competitive success, and connection to the community. The Marching Bengals have earned nearly 50 caption and class awards over the last five years during competitions in North Carolina. The Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble consistently receive Excellent and Superior ratings at District MPA. His students are regular participants in All-District, All-State and collegiate honor groups and continue their musical careers in as non-music-majors in college ensembles and as music majors and minors at universities across the eastern United States.
Mr. Edwards has performed professionally as a trombonist with the Triangle Brass Band, North Carolina Wind Orchestra, Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, Cape Fear Regional Theater, Greensboro Philharmonia and the Highland Brass Quintet. Students under his private instruction have earned seats in Southeast and Central All-District Bands and the NC All-State Honor Bands.
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 North Carolina Music Educator’s Association (NCMEA), National Association for Music Education (NAfME), and East-Central District Band Director’s Association (ECDBA). He was honored by the Central District Bandmasters’ Association (CDBA) with the 2008 Director of the Year and the 2014 Award of Excellence. He has served as ECDBA High School MPA Chair (2016-2022), CDBA President (2010-2012), NCBA MPA Committee representative (2009-2012, 2015-2018), CDBA High School All-District Auditions Chair (2005-2008), Southeast District All-District Clinic Chair/Host (1998) and Southeast District Concert MPA Chair/Host (2001). He is entering his eleventh year as Music Director of the Triangle Youth Brass Band and has served as conductor at the UNCG Summer Music Camp.
Mr. Edwards is married to Robin Gorham and lives in Fuquay-Varina with their cat, Annie.
Robin Gorham
Director, Triangle Youth Academy Brass Band
Robin Gorham retired from teaching middle school band in June of 2020 after a 25 year career and taught most recently at Fuquay-Varina Middle School. Throughout her career, her students earned placements in district and state level honor bands and her concert bands earned Superior and Excellent ratings at concert band festivals. Ms. Gorham has presented at several professional development conferences as well as hosted and mentored student teachers from area universities. Her service and leadership in education included serving the Central District Band Directors Association as chairman as well as multiple other roles within the organization.
Ms. Gorham received her undergraduate music education degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Masters of Music in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In 2003, she earned National Board Certification and is honored to have received the North Carolina Band Association’s Award of Excellence from Southeastern Band Directors Association in 2009 and from East Central Band Directors Association in 2021. She is a member of North Carolina Music Educators Association, National Association for Music Education, and was inducted into the American School Band Directors Association.
Ms. Gorham maintains a private horn studio and is the brass instructor for the Fuquay-Varina High School Marching Band. She lives in Fuquay-Varina with her husband, Matt Edwards, director of the Fuquay-Varina High School Bands, and their cat, Annie.
Alvin Taylor
Conductor, Triangle Youth Percussion Ensemble
Biography to come.
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