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About Me:
About Me:
I’m David Wertz, a music educator and performer based in Brooklyn. This project was born out of a desire to make the music we teach more reflective of the students we serve. As someone who didn’t grow up with access to diverse cultural experiences, I was always excited by the connections I found when I finally did — both the differences and the unexpected similarities.
Early in my teaching career, a student asked why we always played “white music.” That moment stuck with me and made me rethink what stories we were telling through our repertoire. Since then, I’ve been committed to creating space for underrepresented voices in the wind band world.
This site is the result of that commitment — a growing resource for beginning band educators who want to diversify their programs, connect students to composers who reflect their identities, and foster a deeper, more inclusive music-making experience.
Feel free to reach out with any comments, questions or if you just want to say Hi!
Bibliography
Decolonizing the Music Room. (2021). Decolonizing the Music Room. https://decolonizingthemusicroom.com
Grant, T. S. (n.d.). …at Twilight [Concert band piece].
Grant, T. S. (n.d.). Tyler S. Grant – Composer & Conductor. https://www.tylersgrant.com/
Hall, J. (n.d.). Jarod Hall Music. https://www.jarodhallmusic.com/
Hoefle, H. (n.d.). Heather Hoefle Composer. https://www.heatherhoefle.com/
Holden, M., & Kitchen, J. (2019). Access and equity in Ontario teacher education: Teacher candidates’ perceptions. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 65(1), 51–71. https://doi.org/10.11575/ajer.v65i1.56453
Iu, C.-W. (2024). Creating an inclusive music classroom. Journal of General Music Education, 37(1), 22–25. https://doi.org/10.1177/27527646231214735
Leung, E. K. J. (Ed.). (2021). The horizon leans forward: Stories of courage, strength, and triumph of underrepresented communities in the wind band field. GIA Publications.
Owens, W. (n.d.). Every Day New [Concert band piece].
Pilato, N. (2008). Wind Repertory Project. https://www.windrep.org
Shapiro, A. (n.d.). Alex Shapiro – Composer. https://www.alexshapiro.org/
Shapiro, A. (2025, May 29). Personal interview.
Sims, A. B. (n.d.). Adrian B. Sims – Composer. https://www.adrianbsims.com/
Sims, A. B. (n.d.). Machines of Wrath [Concert band piece].
Thomas, O. (2024, September 26). Closing the gap: Catching up to the reality of a musical world [Video]. National Association for Music Education. https://nafme.org/resource/closing-the-gap-catching-up-to-the-reality-of-a-musical-world/
VanWeelden, K., & Whipple, J. (2014). Music educators’ perceived effectiveness of inclusion. Journal of Research in Music Education, 62(2), 148–160. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022429414530563
Thomas, T. S. (n.d.). Darryl Johnson II, Composer. http://darryl2.com/
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