John Messenger currently serves as the Director of Bands at Metuchen High School, in Metuchen, NJ. As the Director, he oversees the Pride of Metuchen Marching Band, Metuchen HS Percussion Ensemble, and the Metuchen HS Winter Guard programs. John also directs the Elementary Band Program for the Metuchen School District. John is extremely active in the local music education community, as he currently serves as Director of Brass Studies for the Professional Music Academy of Woodbridge, New Jersey; and as the Director of the Professional Music Academy Summer Festival Band. In 2014, he was named a Magic 98.3 Teacher Who Makes Magic.
Mr. Messenger holds a Bachelors Degree in Music Education and a Masters Degree in Music Composition from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. At Rutgers, John studied trumpet pedagogy with Prof. William Fielder, and composition with Dr. Noel DaCosta and Dr. Gerry Chenoweth. While at Rutgers, John performed with many ensembles, including the Rutgers University Marching Band. His Drum Corps performance experience includes the Skyliners Drum & Bugle Corps and the Sunrisers Drum & Bugle Corps.
John is a sought after educator, arranger, and composer. In addition to the Metuchen Band program, he has arranged for many band and drum corps programs, including: the Phoenix Drum Corps, Central Regional HS Band, Ridge HS Band, and Pequannock HS Band.