Steve Wessels

Class of 2026

Steve Michael Wessels was born in San Angelo, TX in 1961 to JC and Margaret Wessels who participated in high school band programs in Ballinger, TX and Winters, TX respectively in the 1940s. All but one of Steve’s five siblings were in the band. Marilyn, Ron, Randy and Mark chose the band route while Susan chose the choir route. Family band directors Steve and Mark, percussion guru, and choir director Susan felt like many TMEA Conventions were family gatherings. Piano was a mainstay for most of the family. The Wessels family were the church organists for many years and filled not only the church pew but also boosted the church choir. The Wessels directors learned to “clean” ensembles as they were the church janitors! The boys learned more “cleaning” skills working on poultry farms which were managed by their father.

Piano was a major focus growing up. As a high school student, Steve won the San Angelo Symphony local Young Artist Contest and performed with the symphony under the direction of Gene Smith (HOF 1998). While in graduate school as piano performance major at TCU, a memorable moment was being invited to perform the Edvard Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor with the Texas Lutheran College Band at the invitation of Lee Boyd Montgomery (HOF 2001). Steve had a private conversation with Dr. William Revelli talking through the piano concerto. Dr. Revelli was a very sweet person at that time in his life! It was an extra blessing having a connection through Dr. Revelli who was a friend of Percy Grainger who was a friend of Edvard Grieg.

Steve was fortunate to have band director icons who blessed him with countless enriching experiences in his home town of San Angelo, Texas. He began band on the cornet and later changed to the saxophone at Edison Junior High under director Don Hayes (HOF 1992), then to Central High School under the direction of Gary Wylie. He has also been under the direction of Harris Brinson (HOF 2004) at San Angelo State University and Lee Boyd Montgomery (HOF 2001) at Texas Lutheran University where he received his Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1983. Steve finished his formal education in graduate school in piano performance at Texas Christian University.

What is a future band director to do after leaving piano performance pursuits? Work in the oil field to pay off debts quickly and put money in the bank. After having done so, who would hire an “oil field” worker as a band director? Someone who saw something in Steve where he began his band directing career in 1986 at Shamrock High School and Middle School as an associate to Daryll Kaire. In 1988 Steve was given an Associate Director’s position with Rusten Hess at Galena Park High School while director at Woodland Acres Middle School, Galena Park ISD. Steve answered the question correctly by Mr. Hess who asked, who do you support as an assistant director? What a puzzling question as the answer was a resounding, “the head director of course.” In 1992, Steve taught as an associate and director of bands respectively at Spring Oaks Middle School in Spring Branch ISD with Ron Morrison and Bob Navaro. All of the bands were successful UIL Sweepstakes bands.

In 1998, Steve had the pleasure of opening Cedar Park High School as Associate Band Director with Ron Morrison. In the spring of 2004, Steve became Director of Bands. During his tenure at Cedar Park, the band won the UIL 4A /5A State Marching Band Championships in 2001, 2011, 2015, 2017, and 2019. The band was UIL 5A Silver Medalist in 2004, UIL 4A Silver Medalist in 2013, and Bands Of America Grand Nationals Finalist in 2010 and 2016. The band was TMEA 4A /5A Honor Band finalist in 2002, 2007, 2012, 2018 and 2014 TMEA Honor Band. Steve was blessed with recognition as a 2018 TBA Meritorious Achievement recipient and blessed as the 2020 Director of the TBA High School Exemplary Band Program.

Steve attributes learning to teach ensemble skill sets to band directors, clinicians, and “CEO”s of our field, especially Tom Bennett, Eddie Green, Tom Shine, and Matthew McInturf. Steve is a life long learner being blessed with notable associates Christopher Yee, Jeremy Spicer, Evan VanDoran, Jason Robb, Bob Chreste, and Ron Morrison.

The most important treasure in Steve’s life is the relationship he has with Jesus Christ. Second to none is with his life long love, his wife Melanie of 40 years. Steve was blessed with three beautiful children, Micah, a chemical engineer, Daniel, who went to be with the Lord in 2015, and Anna, a band director at Rouse High School in Leander ISD. Micah married Jennifer Bulinski and blessed the Wessels with Amalia, Steve’s first grandchild. Anna is married to Bradley Bush and has Steve’s second grandchild on the way!

Steve is thankful for colleagues during all of his career who were there to talk shop, give clinics and concerts at conventions, conduct region bands, allow him to visit their band programs, and observe rehearsals. He enjoyed the friendship and support of the Leander ISD band community during his twenty two years at Cedar Park High School. He is thankful for all of the fantastic students and parents who he did life with in musical pursuits.

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