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Mr. Leonardo Perez Duarte was a high school music teacher for
thirty-eight years. Thirty of those years at Chico High School where he
directed the orchestra, choirs and bands. He retired from Chico High
School in June of 1998. He devotes his time now to composition, guest
conducting, adjudicating, and presenting clinics with North State high
school bands. In 1989 Mr. Duarte received the "Music Educator of
the Year" award from the California Music Educators Association,
and in 1995 he received the "Band Director of the Year" award
from the Northern California Band Directors Association. He received the
CUTA (Chico Unified Teacher's Association) "Outstanding
Service" award (1974), "Outstanding Secondary Educator of
America," (1975) and twice has received the "PTA Honorary
Service" award. His name and music appear in The Heritage
Encyclopedia of Band Music. He is a member of many musical
organizations. He is a published author of several books on music
education. His published musical compositions include works for band,
choir and orchestra, and his band compositions are performed throughout
the United States.
He received his music education at San Jose State University and Los
Angeles State University where he earned his BA. He received his Master
of Arts degree "With Distinction" from California State
University, Chico. His trombone teachers were Dr. Forrest Baird of San
Jose State and Robert Marsteller of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. His
voice teachers were Esther Andreas, Los Angeles State University, and
Dr. James Kinney, CSU, Chico. He studied conducting with Dr. Gibson
Walters, San Jose State University and Dr. Gaylord Browns who was a
student of Serge Kossevitsky. He studied composition with Harold
Johnson, Roger Sessions, and Joseph Wagner.
Leonardo Perez Duarte and his wife Phyllis have been married for
forty-five years and are the proud parents of six children and thirteen
grandchildren. |
