Band & Chorus
BVEF offers four optional music programs for Strawberry Elementary 4th-6th graders, all directed by Music Director Alex Merideth. Beginning Band is open to students with no prior experience, while Advanced Band serves 5th and 6th graders who’ve played before. Both bands teach students to read music and perform on their instrument independently and alongside fellow musicians. The Gleeagles Chorus introduces students to choral music, rounds, beginning harmonies, and singing both accompanied and a cappella, building a sense of collective pulse and rhythm along the way — and it’s open to any Strawberry student, with or without singing experience. New this year is the Steel Drum Ensemble! No previous musical experience is required, just a willingness on the part of students to learn, work as a team, and have fun! Students will develop rhythm, musicianship, coordination, listening skills, and ensemble teamwork while exploring music and culture from Trinidad & Tobago and beyond.
All three programs meet before or after school throughout the year and perform in concerts for the school and wider community. Instruments are available through the district for students who don’t have their own, and scholarships are available so that cost isn’t a barrier to participation.
Meet Alex Merideth
Alex Merideth is a music educator, conductor, and professional musician originally from Tucson, Arizona. He earned both his Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance and Master’s degree in Music Education from the University of Arizona. Alex began his teaching career at the high school level, where he spent seven years directing a classical guitar program and leading the drumline and percussion section of the largest marching band in Arizona. Throughout his career, he has worked with student ensembles performing at nationally recognized events and venues, including the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Tournament of Roses Parade, as well as acclaimed orchestral and wind ensemble programs.
In 2022, Alex relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he expanded his work into elementary and middle school general music education and directed a steel band orchestra in Marin County. At the heart of his teaching philosophy is the belief that music education should create joy, build community, and inspire a lifelong love of music. His teaching spans a wide range of musical traditions and experiences, with particular interests in folk dance, ukulele, world percussion, choral singing, band, and ensemble performance.
In addition to his work as an educator, Alex is an accomplished professional musician with extensive experience as a percussionist. He performed with the Fred Sanford Award-winning Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps and has performed with the Birdsong Steel Band Orchestra, Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Arizona Wind Ensemble, and Arizona Opera. Whether in the classroom, on the podium, or on the stage, Alex is passionate about creating musical experiences that are engaging, inclusive, and memorable. He is also proud to serve as an endorsed educator with Innovative Percussion, Inc.
