Lord Botetourt’s band director turns decades of passion, mentorship and music into a lasting legacy.
If you find yourself inside Lord Botetourt’s halls, you’ll encounter a great array of sounds. Outside of the usual teenage clamor, depending on where you are and when you’re there, you’ll hear a melody floating above all the commotion. Follow it, and you’ll end up in the room of Christopher Caldwell, Botetourt County’s Teacher of the Year for the 2024-2025 school year.
Mr. Caldwell, the band director at Lord Botetourt High School, has been teaching music for nearly three decades, with most of that time spent in Botetourt County. He’s seen countless students pass through his classroom, but one thing has always remained: his love of teaching. Despite this impressive musical history, education has not always been what he thought to pursue.
“When I was in high school, I wanted to be a forester. I was a biology major at Bridgewater College,” he says. While he was a part of his middle and high school bands, he pursued science up until his junior year, when another incredible educator inspired him to follow his true calling.
“My college professor, Dr. Thornely, was a dynamic man,” he recalls. A trumpet player for Frank Sinatra, Thornely motivated Caldwell to focus on music during his time at Bridgewater, something Caldwell is extremely grateful for. He credits his professor for informing his own teaching philosophy: “He told me there would be trying times, but it would always be fun.”
As a former music student himself, Caldwell understands the importance of musical education and the skills it can provide even to those who don’t want to pursue music as a lifelong career. As he says, “It’s the other things that music teaches beyond the notes on the page,” or, the “soft skills” essential to all careers.
He considers band “the ultimate team-building activity,” and boasts the life skills it can provide, from work ethic to time management. To any student under his guidance, time under his instruction is invaluable.
“If you look at the top people in our world, presidents and CEOs, so many of them have band experience,” he says. In an increasingly STEM-dominated job market, Caldwell still sees the importance of not only fine arts education but fine arts careers.
“If we don’t have fine arts, what are we listening to? What are we watching?” This perspective is part of what makes Caldwell not only an inspiring educator, but a great motivator as well. He empowers his pupils to pursue their dreams through the skills he teaches so adeptly.
Having taught for so long, most teachers would be thinking about retirement, but Caldwell still sees himself doing what he loves for many years to come. “It’s not on the horizon. I still feel young, and I love what I do.” Even in retirement, he pictures himself still involved with music in some capacity.
Lord Botetourt is delighted to see Caldwell recognized as Teacher of the Year, with their principal, Beth Mast, who says, “His dedication, mentorship, and unwavering commitment to excellence make him a role model for both students and educators. We are incredibly proud to have him represent Botetourt County Public Schools—this recognition is richly deserved.”
His achievement has been widely recognized throughout the school, and everyone under his tutelage has agreed that no one else could’ve been a better fit for this high honor.
After a decades-long career, Caldwell still works as hard as ever. Right now, his attention is fixed on the upcoming marching band season, planning out dates and designing a show months in advance. Even after receiving such a prestigious award, Caldwell only looks forward, striving to continue inspiring his students through music, with no desire to stop anytime soon.
