Bill Leather

William (Bill) Leather is a graduate of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music with a degree in Music Education.  At Indiana, Bill studied with Anthony Cirone, Steve Houghton and Gerald Carlyss, while performing with numerous ensembles including the Wind Ensemble, Philharmonic Orchestra, Tom Walsh Jazz Ensemble, percussion ensemble, steel band, and was a three year member of the Marching Hundred drum line.  Bill received his Bachelor of Music Education degree in December of 2005 after completing his student teaching at Carmel High School where he was an assistant instructor for the Wind Ensemble, Wind Symphony II, Wind Symphony III, all percussion classes and the 2005 Bands of America Grand National Champion Marching Greyhounds.

Bill received his Masters in Music degree in 2013 from the American Band College of Sam Houston State University and in 2016, finished his ninth and final year as an Associate Band Director at Penn High School (Mishawaka, IN).  At Penn, he oversaw all aspects of the percussion and jazz programs, including directing the marching percussion section, all concert percussion sections, Percussion Ensembles, Intermediate Jazz Ensemble, Advanced Jazz ensemble, Jazz Combos, the After School Jazz Orchestra and assisted with the Freshmen Concert Band and Symphonic Band.  The Penn Advanced Jazz Ensemble frequently achieved success at festivals throughout the Midwest and was named a top twelve finalist for the 2014 and 2016 Swing Central Jazz Festival in Savannah, GA.  In 2008, Bill was an assistant conductor with the Penn Symphonic Band for their featured performance at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic.

In the fall of 2016, Bill joined the music team at Mount Si High School as co-director of Bands. At Mount Si, Bill teaches Jazz, all wind bands, percussion ensemble and a West African Djembe class. Under Bill’s direction, Mount Si Jazz 1 has been an Essentially Ellington finalist in 2019, 2020, and 2022. Bill resides in North Bend, WA with his wife Liz, daughters Mya and Makena, and son Greyson.