Monterey High School Instrumental Music Teacher Dr. Bill Ton: "The students are just amazing at this school"

At Monterey High School, the instrumental music program is striking a powerful chord by expanding in size, scope, and opportunity for students across campus.

Under the direction of Dr. Bill Ton, the program has seen significant growth in recent years, with new classes and ensembles designed to meet increasing student interest.

“So we have two guitar classes here. That group has grown to include over 60 students,” Dr. Ton said. “We have two levels of band that are going to be starting this fall. We’re going to have pep band and concert band during the day, and we’re going to start a brand new marching band, zero period. We have a strings class and we have a jazz band, which is going to be in a green and a gold level next year. And we also have an IB music class, the DP music course, which is like a college-level musicology, history, theory class.”

Now in his third year at Monterey High School and his 15th year in education, Dr. Ton brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for music education, one that began during his own high school years.

“Yeah, I’ve known that I wanted to teach music since my freshman year of high school,” he said. “I was so inspired by the high school that I went to. It was in Tuolumne County, you know, up in the Sierras. And just fell in love with it. I saw the tremendous impact that the arts can make in young people’s lives, and I’m like, I am so dedicated to this.”

His journey has taken him across the country, from Kentucky to Nevada to South Carolina, before ultimately bringing him back to California.

After graduating from Berea College, he earned his teaching credential in 2009 and began his career teaching high school in Reno, Nevada. While completing his master’s degree, he also taught at the University of Nevada, Reno, then spent three years teaching during a doctoral residency at the University of South Carolina. After working as a college professor on the East Coast, Dr. Ton returned to California, eventually joining Monterey High School.

Inside the classroom, Dr. Ton’s impact is felt most strongly through his students, who describe both the opportunities they’ve been given and the supportive environment they’ve found.

Senior Andres Garcia, who plays both double bass and guitarrón, found his way into jazz band after exploring multiple instruments over the years.

“I began playing the violin in 6th grade because my older brother played it. Then I moved on to cello because I like the lower pitches, the lower notes. Then in sophomore year, I bought a bass guitar because I wanted to play rock with my friends, and I wanted to learn the upright bass,” Garcia said.

His transition to bass at Monterey High School helped shape his musical path even further.

“And Dr. Ton told me, hey, there’s not going to be any bass next year in orchestra. Like, do you think you could play bass with us? And I said, yeah, sure. And I ended up liking it more than cello,” Garcia said.

Garcia says one of the highlights of the program is the chance to perform in a variety of settings.

“He likes to, he likes to do a lot of concerts. Like, we had some at the airport, at the hotel down here, and it was all really fun,” he said. “He has a bunch of different, like, small groups, like some for Christmas, some orchestra, some band, some jazz.”

Looking ahead, Garcia hopes to continue music beyond high school.

“Next year I’m going to go to MPC. I’m going to try to do the jazz class and the mariachi,” he said. “I really hope like I could play music for the rest of my life.”

For freshman Emmanuel Gutierrez-Alcos, the journey is just beginning. But it is already deeply meaningful. He plays the double bass and cello. He first picked up an instrument in elementary school and quickly found both skill and comfort in music.

“I was apparently really good at it to the point where I got put into a special class with only 3 other students, which got me really intertwined with reading music and playing it,” saod Gutierrez-Alcos.

Music became especially important during a difficult time in his life.

“And soon after that, like a couple weeks later, I got expelled from that school and I was really stressed out and I really wanted something to calm me down and playing it was really helpful,” he said.

That experience led him to continue exploring new instruments, eventually switching to bass at Monterey High School.

“When I got here Dr. Ton said we need more basses, so I did the same thing and switched to bass and I’ve been really enjoying that since it’s a lot funner to pit instead of cello,” Gutierrez-Alcos said.

He credits Dr. Ton for creating a welcoming and supportive classroom environment.

“I would say it’s mostly how patient he is with new, newer players, especially how easy he is to like get along with,” he said. “He’s really nice, and especially like if you’re a new student, he doesn’t make it feel like you shouldn’t be there.”

Dr. Ton says it’s those kinds of student experiences that make the work so meaningful.

“The students are just amazing at this school. I mean, they’re mature, they’re talented, they’re really hungry and eager to learn, they’re teachable, and they really want to build something special here on campus,” said Dr. Ton.

Looking to the future, Dr. Ton hopes to elevate the program to reflect the world-class music community that surrounds it.

“I wake up in the morning, I have to pinch myself, and I think, how in the world did I wind up at Monterey? I mean, it's just such a hub for, you know, the Monterey Jazz Festival and the Carmel Bach Festival. There's so many amazing studio musicians, professional musicians, you know, private lessons instructors in this area. And my aspiration, my hope for the program is that we can get that world-class approach and prestige in this program so it reflects the community around us,” said Dr. Ton.

With growing programs, dedicated students, and a clear vision for excellence, the music program at Monterey High School continues to build something special, one note at a time.