Travis J. Weller has been the Director of Bands at Mercer Area Middle-Senior High School since August of 1995. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Music Education with a concentration in Tuba and Conducting from Grove City College, and graduated from Duquense University in May of 2007 with a Master’s Degree in Music Education. Travis is currently enrolled in the Doctoral Program at Kent State University in addition to his teaching duties at Mercer. He has taken additional studies at Youngstown State University, and the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. At Mercer, he is the Director of the Middle School Concert Band, Senior High Concert Band, and Senior High Wind Ensemble. He shares teaching duties for the 8th Grade General Music classes. In addition to the concert bands, he instructs the extra-curricular marching band, pep band, and jazz ensemble. He is also the Faculty Advisor for the Technical Productions Crew and is the Stage Manager for the Middle-Senior High School. He has previously been director of the all school musical (1995-2001), and is a co-director for commencement exercises at Mercer.
Travis has been an eleven time Honored Teacher at the Principal’s Top Ten Student Dinner, and was selected to give the commencement address to the 2000 and 2006 Senior Class at Mercer. Travis is taking a leave of absence from his duties as Mercer County District 5 PMEA Representative to serve as President for PMEA District 5. He has been a guest speaker in music education at Grove City College, Westminster College, and Duquense University for Methods Classes and PCMEA workshops. In addition to annual marching band and jazz band festivals, Travis has hosted 2 All-County Middle School events, 2 All-County High School events, the 2003 District 5 Band, and will host the 2008 District Band. He is past member of the Musician’s Concert Band at Slippery Rock University, and was the Assistant Director for the Mercer Summer Community Band (1995-97).
He holds professional membership in PMEA, Phi Beta Mu (Nu Chapter), and the NBA. Travis is also a free lance arranger and composer of music for school bands. He began arranging and composing during his undergraduate work for the Gallery Brass Quintet. He has continued his work in this area, recently studying with Quincy Hilliard at the University of the Arts in the summer of 2006. His arrangements for marching bands have been performed by Hickory High School (Hermitage, Pa.) and Grove City College. He has written 20 pieces for concert bands ranging from elementary to high school. His pieces for concert band have been performed by the Wilmington Sixth Grade Band, Mercer Sixth Grade Band, Hickory High School, Wilmington Junior High Band, Greenville High School, Hickory High School, Mercer Middle and High School Bands, the Grove City College Symphonic Concert Band, the Westminster College Wind Ensemble, the Marks Concert Band in Hermitage, and the Carnegie Mellon Pre-college Summer Wind Ensemble. His first published work “American Visions” is available from the FJH Music Company (a 2008 J.W. Pepper’s Editor’s Choice). The Pittsburgh Diocesean Honor Band premeired “Festival for Winds and Percussion” in January of 2009 and The River City Youth Brass Band will debut “A Frontier Fought and a City Found” in May of 2009.
