By admin 
BELMONT, N.C. (WJZY) – Pull up a chair at South Point High and a dichotomy will hit you like a wall of sound.
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(A) You feel younger, and (B) you might feel super old, especially when you meet the Gen Z band director, Connor Settlemyre.
“He definitely kind of gets us a little more,” says tuba player Tucker Cameron.
“I’m up here singing the whole time y’all are playing,“ he told his group with a smile, preparing them for the Spring Band Concert. The concert is set for Tuesday, May 12, at South Point.
Settlemyre is 22 and approaching the end of his first year as a teacher. So this Gen X reporter was interested to discover that he was born around the time the TV show “Desperate Housewives” debuted.
But let him cook, the man can teach.
“I think it’s important to establish that it’s okay to mess up, okay to make mistakes,” Settlemyre told Queen City News. “We’re trying to grow from that and improve every day, and if we’re improving every day, we’ll have a good product at the end.”
He was recently named the Gaston County Schools New Teacher of the Year.
“The most fun is getting to make music. We have a lot of fun learning these pieces together and getting through it and everything. It’s special to get a group of 50 kids to do something together.”
He shares his recognition with the students.
“I thought it was amazing for him,” baritone player Tierney Waters said. “He definitely deserves it. He really helped us.”
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“He’s taught me how to be a better musician, a better drummer. And he’s just a good person overall,” says Jonathan Pegues, a percussionist.
Mr. Settlemyre is a natural-born teacher, and that’s really no surprise considering music is in his blood.
His mother, Kelly, is a church minister of music; his uncle Scott has been a band director at universities, including West Virginia and App State; and his brother Josh is a high school choir teacher.
“I think music was always going to kind of be the way. It was just, what avenue of music,” Connor said.
“I wasn’t expecting a 22-year-old guy who likes to joke around with us. We can talk about anything,” says Pegues.
Yes, he’s youthful and approachable, and not afraid to challenge them musically.
“I think we’re moving at a pretty quick pace, more than a lot of people are comfortable going. But I think you don’t figure it out unless you get a little uncomfortable sometimes,” Settlemyre explains.
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So the Gen Z-er is well-equipped to make learning a snap.
“I definitely really connect to him,” Waters says.