John Wetherington
John M. Wetherington is the director of bands and Chair of the Fine Arts and World Languages Department at Bethel Senior High School in Spanaway, Washington. He is a part time faculty member at Pacific Lutheran University where he teaches brass methods and is the director of the athletic bands. John is the director of the Tacoma Debut Wind Ensemble, the entry level wind, brass and percussion ensemble for the Tacoma Youth Symphony Association. He also serves as director of the Wind Ensemble at the TYSA's summer Evergreen Music Festival.
John holds the B.M. in music education from Pacific Lutheran University. He received the M.S. in music education from Southern Oregon University and is a member of the Advanced Study Group at Southern Oregon University.
Prior to his present position, John was the director of bands at Curtis Junior High School and Frontier Junior High School. He was the 1998 Washington State winner of the ASBDA/UMI Distinguished Young Band Director's Award.
John is an active guest conductor, adjudicator and clinician. He has adjudicated at many large group and solo/ensemble contests throughout Western Washington and has served as the guest conductor for several regional massed and honor band festivals.
He has hosted numerous regional band contests and in 1992 founded the Frontier Jazz Festival. He has served the Washington Music Educators Association as a conference presenter, All-State Wind Ensemble organizing chair and Part President of the Mountain Region.
Ensembles under John's direction have performed at the WMEA State Conference and consistently receive superior ratings at regional festivals. Students under John's direction are selected yearly to participate at the State Solo and Ensemble Contest, the Western International Band Clinic honor bands and All-State honor groups.
As a trombonist, John's performance experience includes many years with the Swing Reunion Orchestra, the South Sound Symphonic Band and as guest performer in many other local ensembles.
