Come Say Hi!
Did any of the resources on this website help you, save you time or improve your teaching? Do you have a suggestion to help make it even better? Just want to connect about music education or other things? I would love to connect! Shoot me an email and I will do my best to respond in a timely manner.
Greetings!
Welcome to Beyer Music Resources! I have been playing and teaching music for almost twenty years now as a band director and I am always looking for opportunities to improve our craft in meaningful ways. I hope you find value in the tools and resources that you find here. If they saved you time/effort or you use them on a regular basis, I would love to hear about it!
My Story
Stubborn Beginnings
I grew up in a musical household. Well, half of one anyway. My father doesn't have a musical bone in his body (though he does make a great audience member!), but my mother was a piano teacher from our home. I practically memorized the first three beginning piano books by ear just by living in our house for 18 years, but it was around my 5th grade year was when my mom decided it was time for me to start taking lessons from her. I promptly became likely the worst student she had ever had. In my defense, it's hard to learn directly from a parent, particularly at that age, but bless her heart she persevered for a full year, at which point she made me a deal. I could stop taking piano lessons if I instead took up an instrument in the school band. So trumpet it was.
She won and her secret plan was unveiled in the end of course, as I proceeded to pursue music in the band passionately, having found my thing, which led me to go to college for music education and eventually begin teaching... and now I desperately wish I had better piano skills. =)
School, School and More School
The Alpena, MI school band program served me extremely well and gave me many great opportunities for performance and travel with all types of music. All of my best friends were in the program, several of which I still keep in touch with today. After that it was off to Cornerstone University for an undergraduate music education degree and then to the amazing American Band College for graduate work. Too much fun! I taught for 12 years in a few places in the southwest Michigan area before, seemingly inevitably, ending up right back where I started, Alpena. I have been teaching at Alpena High School and Thunder Bay Jr. High ever since, beginning in 2021.
Extracurriculars
These days, in addition to teaching, I also enjoy playing in small ensemble and local orchestral groups here and there when available, teaching private lessons, and working on fun little side projects like this website. My time is also spent running for exercise, gaming so that I can stay sane, and attending and serving at my local church. God has blessed me so much in this life and I pray the same for you!
Soli Deo gloria,
Brad Beyer