Marcus Pimpleton Builds A Family Through All-City Band

Marcus Pimpleton talks a lot about family. When he's teaching music, Pimpleton might compare a decrescendo to the way teens yell at their parents: they start loudly, but quickly get quiet when they realize it's a bad idea.

"People [in the band] appreciate you and treat you like family," Pimpleton told RadioActive's Farhan Vohra. He was describing the close-knit group of 150 students and mentors from the greater Seattle area who participate in the All-City Band. "They make it a comfortable place to be who you are."

Pimpleton has been the director of All-City since 2003. He's also the band director at Chief Sealth International High School and oversees the music department at Denny Middle School.

Pimpleton grew up in Seattle. When he was in elementary school his grandmother wanted him to play the flute, but his family couldn't afford one so Pimpleton asked to borrow an instrument from his music teacher, Ms. King.

"Ms. King was kind of like, 'Hey, trombone player!' and so I ended up playing trombone," Pimpleton remembered. "I really loved it and you know I like it a lot better than the flute so I'm glad it turned out the way it did."