Music director and band teacher Jason Shiuan will be recognized with the California State California Music Educators Association (CMEA) Byron Hoyt/Don Schmeer Band Educator of the Year Award at the California all-state music conference (CASMEC) in Sacramento on Jan. 16.
“I don’t take stock in necessarily getting an award, but it’s always nice to be recognized, especially at the state level,” Shiuan said. “It’s a good affirmation that I’m doing the right things and that I’m working towards the right things.”
The award, which is dedicated to “honoring excellence in instrumental education and performance,” is given annually to a band teacher in California after nomination by a CMEA member.
Since the start of his teaching career at SHS in 2016, Shiuan has involved Community-Based Instruction (CBI) students in all of the music classes at SHS. After Proposition 28 began providing additional funding for the music program in 2023, Shiuan made the decision to hire band percussion coach Xavier Choo as coach for CBI students after resource aide Daniel Marble’s retirement.
“One of the greatest successes that we had in my first four years of teaching was we had a resource aid that was with one of our CBI students,” Shiuan said. “Mr. Marble was an amazing resource aide. We felt like, because he had a musical background, he was really able to help some of the CBI students that were participating at that time, and really helped their musical development. After Mr. Marble retired, we felt like we weren’t serving those particular students as well as we had in the past.”
Shiuan emphasized that his contributions to music at SHS are the result of a combined effort from him, resource aides, percussion directors and other music teachers such as music director Michael Boitz, who won the same award in 2012.
Junior marching band member Naomi Yang praised Shiuan’s dedication to ensure students’ participation in the music program. She also appreciated his understanding and help when she switched from playing the saxophone to the bassoon in her freshman year.
“I’m really happy for him because he does so much for the students at Saratoga High School,” Yang said. “He makes accommodations for people if they have conflicts with things like sports. It’s really helpful and allows a lot of people to participate in the music program. I’m not sure if they’d be able to do that if they were at a different school.”
Shiuan has served as a past-president of the Santa Clara County Band Directors Association (SCCBDA) for several years, and previously served as a vice president and president. As a board member, he has helped streamline the audition process for the county’s Honor Band and create a virtual Honor Band in 2020.
“I don’t strive to do any of these things for awards,” Shiuan said. “The way I think about it is: the way I am the day before I get an award, and the way I am the day after I get an award, I’m still the same person.”
