Directors

In his 20+ years at Amador, the band program has more than doubled in size and earned consistent superior ratings and high honors at competitions. Amador’s top wind ensemble performed at the CBDA state conference in 2006, 2010 and 2018 and is the only high school band to perform twice at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago (in 2013 and 2019).

For the 2023-2024 year, Mr. Grantham will teach all Concert Bands and Jazz Workshop, as well as lead the Marching Band and assist with directing and managing Winter Guard and Winter Percussion groups.

Well loved by his peers and students, Mr. Grantham earned a citation of excellence from the National Band Association and received the Prudential Realty of California's Outstanding Educator’s Award and the Crystal Apple Award for Excellence in Education. He was chosen as Pleasanton Unified School District’s 2012–2013 Teacher of the Year and honored in 2020 with the Chevron Fuel Your School Teacher Award as part of the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce’s 57th Annual Community Service Awards.

Mr. Grantham is active as an adjudicator, clinician, and guest conductor. He was an executive board member for CMEA Bay Section and the Western Band Association, and has served on the Special Projects Committee for the California Band Directors Association.

For the 2023-2024 year, Mr. Fell will co-teach 3 of the 5 Concert Bands, lead Jazz A and Jazz B, teach AP Music Theory — as well as co-lead the Marching Band and assist with directing and managing Winter Guard and Winter Percussion groups.

Mr. Fell did his undergraduate studies at the BIOLA University Conservatory of Music where he received a BM in Music Education as well as Trombone Performance. During his time at BIOLA he studied conducting under Dr. Robert Feller and trombone with Dave Stetson of the Pacific Symphony. After student teaching at Kennedy High School in La Palma, CA he served as the Associate Director of Music at Downey High School where he taught band and choir for five years. In 2013 Mr. Fell received his Master’s of Music degree in Conducting from the American Band College of Sam Houston State University. From 2014-2016  Mr. Fell served as the Assistant Band Director at Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, CA where he taught 9th and 10th grade bands, as well as jazz band, marching band, winter percussion and AP Music theory. In addition, Mr. Fell taught the 6th and 7th grade bands at Harvest Park Middle School.

From 2016 to 2023, Mr. Fell  had the distinct privilege to serve as the Band Director at Serrano High School and give back to the program that inspired him to become a music educator. Since 2019 Mr. Fell has served as the High School High Desert Honor Band Manager for SBCMEA. In 2022 he served as the Band Manager for the CBDA All State High School Symphonic Band and the Golden State Honor Band. Mr. Fell is fully committed to giving each of his students a quality music education in an environment where they feel cared for and invested in and is excited to return to Amador Valley as the Assistant Director of Bands.

Entering her 33rd year of teaching, Mrs. Durbin is excited to join the Amador music family. Her wide-ranging experience includes choir, orchestra, musical theater, band, jazz band and color guard at middle and high school levels. 

For the 2022-2023 year, Mrs. Durbin will teach Concert Choir, String Orchestra, and Symphony Orchestra.

During her 15 years at Kennedy Middle School in Cupertino, Mrs. Durbin primarily taught choir and musical theater and, in the past two years, led the award-winning intermediate and advanced orchestras. All of her ensembles consistently received high ratings and praise. The Kennedy choirs performed three East Coast tours, including two Carnegie Hall appearances, and were chosen to sing at the California All-State Music Education Conference and ACDA Regional Conference. 

Mrs. Durbin was selected as the Outstanding Choral Educator for the Bay Area in 2021, has been a past Teacher of the Year for Kennedy Middle School and has served as a mentor for new and veteran teachers within and outside the Cupertino Unified School District for many years. She has a longtime connection with Amador’s music groups and has collaborated with Mr. Grantham to produce research and presentations on best practices for motivation and metacognition in large ensembles.