On the campus of Davidson Middle School, young band students playing in a hexagonal room fill the hallways with a rhythmic tune, culminating from an arrangement of flutes, trumpets, and every instrument. Hidden in this musical chaos is a passionate soul, heard through a stern voice. This voice belongs to Dana Trillo.
Every year, a new group of 90 kids, excited for middle school, sit down in the historic room, eager to play an instrument. For most teachers, this would be a daunting task, but Trillo does it daily. He says that teaching is “the kind of joy that keeps you doing it.”
“I love seeing students learn something new and get experiences to show that off,” says Trillo. Most students have never touched an instrument or even been aware of what a Timpini or a Clarinet is. After a first semester of learning with Trillo, these students play confidently and can identify most notes and instruments.
“He wants us to be the best we can,” says Josie Roberts, a freshman at San Rafael High School. She plays the clarinet and enjoys learning more about music. When I interviewed a group of musicians, a part of the SRHS Wind Ensemble, I was met with strong opinions that he teaches with a strict attitude, but truly means to be helpful and caring.
He believes that teachers, and especially music directors, are important figures for guiding students interested in music towards their goals. Trillo is constantly trying to give the students more experiences and opportunities by signing up his bands for competitions and giving students memorable performances.
The decade-old classroom holds what seems like endless trophies showing accomplishments, but also dedication. Last year, in 2024, and in many others, Davidson’s concert band and jazz band placed 1st place in the Fairfield Tournament of Champions. In addition to the musical performances, Trillo and 4 others were named Teacher of the Year by the Marin Symphony in 2016, an acknowledgement of his musical impact.
“There’s sort of a reward for doing the job,” says Trillo. Giving back to the community by offering students the opportunity to play an instrument and being involved in the process is an important responsibility. Trillo says that it is nice being able to support the community, especially in something that he was good at. This accomplishment and respect have fueled his career.
Teaching middle school students can be rough because of the extremes of the excited jitters and the moody attitudes. Trillo says, “it’s an important age to be a part of.” His middle school experience was rough, like many other students, leaving a bad impression on this age. Most students won’t remember their middle school teachers or even count them as a significant figure, but being the teacher who first teaches students to play an instrument guarantees he will be memorable.
Trillo’s extensive music career awakened after he fell asleep in his college business class. He quickly realized that he couldn’t do business forever. “I need to do something [where] I’m gonna be on my feet, working with people directly,” he says. This led Trillo to go down a teaching path.
Trillo grew up in Ukiah, California and attended the local Ukiah High School. He grew up playing an instrument as early as elementary school and continued in playing throughout his education. Trillo’s main instrument has been the drums, but over the many years he has learned to play most classic instruments. Maybe the passion for banging sticks on a drum came from the dream of becoming a “rock star,” which was his childhood dream followed by “boring” business.
Although he has always played an instrument, he didn’t continue playing as a major focus in college. He actually majored in accounting at Stanislaus State University. His friend first opened him up to the opportunity of music in college, where Trillo would secretly attend his friends’ classes. After that, he decided to major in music at College of the Redwoods. Later, post-college, he taught at Los Baros Middle School and Calaveras High School for 2 years and then settled at Davidson Middle School.
Beyond his classroom, he enjoys playing Irish music on the banjo and playing together with his son who is also involved in music. The musical journey is also found in the howling wind in the forest, where Trillo spends most of his free time hiking, biking, or camping.
For every person, there is a role model, an inspiration, someone who pushed them to where they are today. For Trillo, that was his high school ensemble director. Trillo attributes much of his passion for music to his director. His director was the one who gave musical opportunities, which were crucial for furthering Trillo’s experience with playing the drums.
“He helped me find my passion for music,” says Josie Roberts. Most students continue to play their instruments in high school and few in college. One student carved out a path starting at the roots of Davidson Middle School, making their impact heard. This student was unnamed when asked, but created their own music and got featured on the radio. Trillo’s son once heard the song on the radio and was inspired to do that same, expand music outside the walls of a classroom.
Trillo’s teaching has had a wide impact on students’ lives. Current and past students have all expressed gratitude for him at one point or the other. His classroom is always open on Wednesdays lunches for young musicians to practice and get help. Quinn Wells, Luis Montes, and Franklin Santos, now freshmen at SRHS, share their memories of playing the clarinet during lunches together. They opened up about how they would help each other with songs and fool around. Luis says Trillo is a “good mentor.” His welcoming classroom and spirit continue to make music heard around San Rafael.
