Travis J. Weller is an active arranger, composer, educator and advocate of music education. He is currently serving as the Director of Music Education at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, PA. His duties at Messiah as an Assistant Professor of Music include supervising instrumental music education students, teaching methods courses, working with graduate conducting students and conducting the Symphonic Winds. Prior to his appointment at Messiah, he served as the Director of Bands at Mercer Area Middle-Senior High School, and has previously taught at Kent State University as an adjunct faculty member.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Grove City College, a master’s degree in Music Education from Duquense University, and holds a Ph.D. in music education from Kent State University. Weller is also a member of Phi Beta Mu (Nu Chapter), ASCAP, and the National Band Association. He is currently serving as the Public Relations Chairperson for the Phi Beta Mu International Board of Directors, and assists with their social media outreach. He has presented on instrumental music education at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, PMEA and OMEA State Conferences, professional development sessions for music education, and secondary music methods classes at area colleges and universities. He has been a contributing author for articles in Teaching Music, The Instrumentalist, The PMEA Journal, Phi Beta Mu International Newsletter, National Band Association Journal, and Learning and Leading with Technology. He is in frequent demand as a guest conductor for honor bands and composer in residence sessions with school bands across Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio, and in November of 2016 was one of the guest conductors for the All New England Band Festival at Plymouth State University.
As a composer, Weller has published works available from Bandworks Publications, The FJH Music Company, Grand Mesa Music, C.L. Barnhouse Music Publishers, Wingert-Jones Publishers, and Manhattan Beach Music. His piece “Journey to the Prairie” received 3rd place in the the 2nd Annual Frank Ticheli Composition Contest. In addition to commissioned works from school groups and community bands, he has received several J.W.Pepper Editor’s Choice nominations, several Bandworld Top 100 nominations, four ASCAP Plus Awards, and has received a number of reviews of his works by The Instrumentalist. His pieces for band have been performed by groups ranging from elementary to the collegiate level. Notable performances have been given by the North Hills Senior High School Wind Ensemble, the Grove City College Wind Ensemble, Westminster College Wind Ensemble, the River City Youth Brass Band (Pittsburgh), the Marks Concert Band (Hermitage, Pa.), The PMEA All-State Concert Band, The Florida State Summer Wind Ensemble, Youngstown State University Band, The Florida State University Concert Band, and The VanderCook College Symphonic Band.