Meet Mr. Wantuch

Andrew Wantuch is in his fourth year of teaching band, and also his fourth year of teaching at Cedar Grove Middle School. He began teaching band here in August of 2022.

Mr. Wantuch began playing trumpet in 6th Grade at Braxton Craven Middle School in Trinity, North Carolina. He attended Trinity High School and continued to participate in music as well as several other extra-curricular activities. He was a member in the "THS Blue Crew" Marching Band and served on the band's leadership team as a captain, the theater troupe, Cross-Country Team, Swim Team, Track Team, and even helped found the Poetry Club. He also participated in the Jazz Combo and began playing public gigs during his senior year. In 2014, Mr. Wantuch earned his Eagle Scout Rank with the BSA.

Mr. Wantuch is a graduate of Appalachian State University and the Hayes School of Music. During his time at App State and the HSoM, Mr. Wantuch was a member of the Trumpet Studio and the Trumpet Choir, the Marching Mountaineers, the Appalachian Concert Band, the Appalachian Symphony Band, The Appalachian Wind Ensemble, and both the Jazz II and Jazz I ensembles. He is also an alumni of the Rho Tau Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the men's music fraternity. Mr. Wantuch completed his student teaching internship at Hanes Magnet School in Winston-Salem under the mentorship of Mary Kathryn Bowman-Choat.

Mr. Wantuch's band/music teachers and mentors include: 

Mr. Chris Ferguson, Mr. Kim Summers, Mr. Brian Barfield, Dr. James Stokes, Mr. Joe Phelps, Dr. John Ross, Mr. Donald Peach, Mrs. Mary Kathryn Bowman-Choat, and countless other professors at App State and colleagues across the state.

Mr. Wantuch lives with his wife Emily and their cats Toulouse and Marie in Leland, NC. He frequently performs with several local groups, including the Wilmington Symphonic Winds and the Wilmington Virtuosi Brass Band.