Stetson Music Alumnus Geoffrey Barthle Returns Home to Lead Plant City High School Band Program

Stetson School of Music alumnus Geoffrey Barthle has returned to his alma mater, Plant City High School, as its new band director.

A 2022 PCHS graduate and former Raider Regiment drum major, Barthle discovered his interest in music education while helping teach band and orchestra classes during his senior year. He later attended Stetson University, where he performed at Carnegie Hall, toured Costa Rica, performed during March Madness in New York City, and studied horn with Professor Kathy Thomas.

His professional experiences have also included engagements with Walt Disney World and the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as serving as the inaugural conducting apprentice for the Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra in Virginia. Now leading the program that first inspired him to become a music teacher, Barthle hopes to help students become successful musicians, lifelong supporters of the arts, and better citizens.

“The world needs more people who practice empathy, listening, understanding, and critical thinking,” Barthle told the Plant City Observer. “What better way to master those skills than by being in band and playing music?”