New teacher Mr. Andreatta fills BHS with music, cheer

Before the first bell rings at Berkeley High School, the band room is already full of sound. That’s because Jonah Francisco Andreatta, the school’s new Band and AP Music Theory teacher, starts his day teaching zero period Band, followed by 1st and 2nd period ensembles. Later in the day, he shifts to teach AP and IB Music Theory during 4th and 5th periods, creating a full schedule that extends across nearly the entire school day. Despite the long hours, Mr. Andreatta arrives with steady enthusiasm. “I always wanted to be a teacher,” he said. “My parents are teachers, so I’m a nepo baby in that way.”
Andreatta’s interest in education began early. As a middle schooler, he often arrived on campus before classes started, helping classmates with homework while waiting for his siblings to be dropped off. But it was the band, especially the marching band, that ultimately shaped his path. “I just really fell in love with everything band,” he said. In high school, he became drum major and principal player in the marching band. “I found a really satisfying and fulfilling place for myself in musical leadership,” he said.
Andreatta went on to earn dual bachelor’s degrees in Music Performance and Music Education at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. After teaching in Indiana for several years, he added AP Music Theory at his school and taught the program for its first two years. When he discovered BHS was hiring someone to teach both band and music theory, he saw a perfect match. “That was like my dream,” he said. “The puzzle piece connected.”
Now, in his first year at BHS, Andreatta has set clear goals for both programs. For AP Music Theory, he hopes to strengthen innovation and real-world musical engagement. “I want to teach it in a way that is more creative and better connects what we do in class to actual musical performances,” he explained. To him, that means prioritizing musicality, not memorization. “AP shouldn’t just be a bunch of homework. I feel like I owe it to you all to tap into your musicality.”
For the band program, his focus is on building trust and understanding student needs. “It’s learning the culture of the program and what students expect of me,” he said. He also wants students to understand his own background and expectations. “It’s all about getting to know each other.”
In his theory classes, Andreatta makes difficult musical ideas adaptable to students’ real musical experiences. “I like to connect to each student’s own practice because that’s a place where they can relate,” he said. Using familiar music as a framework helps students transition to more difficult concepts. “Sometimes music theory can get overwhelming because you have to think about music in a structured, almost scientific way. But a lot of times, students have already been doing these concepts, now we’re just talking about what they are.”
Teaching both AP and IB Music together has also shaped his approach. “If anything, I’m taking the IB approach to AP content,” he said. “It makes it more relevant and meaningful.”
For students who feel nervous about theory, Andreatta offers reassurance. “It’s not that bad,” he said. “If you love music: playing, creating, performing— then you already have a lot of working knowledge.” He sees students’ diverse backgrounds as an advantage. “Everyone comes in with a different strength. It’s my job to use those strengths so we can get to that common understanding.”
On the band side, Andreatta is looking forward to the year’s performances and a series of guest artists visiting the program. “We’ve got some really well-respected university band and orchestra conductors coming in,” he said. And after years teaching middle school musicians, he’s enjoying the challenge of more advanced repertoire. “I definitely feel I am getting more of a musical challenge.”
With expertise and a commitment to student growth, Mr. Andreatta is positioned to make a lasting impact on Berkeley High’s band and music theory programs.