Mr T taking his last bow at San Mateo High School

After three decades of leading San Mateo High School’s music department, Attilio Tribuzi, known affectionately as Mr. T, is putting up his conductor’s baton.

“I’ve had 30 years and it’s someone else turn,” Tribuzi said. “I did the best I could to do, the best for the department and these kids and I don’t regret a moment about it and feel good about what I’ve done.”

For 31 years, Tribuzi has been at the helm of the music department at San Mateo High School, in the San Mateo Union High School District, leading the jazz band, symphonic band, concert bands and marching band and created the Bella Sinfonia Orchestra. He also helped establish a choir program at the school.

He’s taught hundreds of students over the years, taking many on performance trips across the nation. He just returned from his last trip with the school band to Disneyland, a bittersweet moment for the maestro who has conducted countless concerts and led students down numerous parade routes.

In return, his students have also helped keep Tribuzi young in a sense by keeping him up to date on newer artists. In exchange for his insight on classic rock bands like Led Zeppelin, they’ve taught him about Lady Gaga and Billie Eilish. And that cross-generational relationship was made possible by respect and a mutual interest in learning, he said.

“I don’t take it for granted that kids feel close to me and that’s one of the things I’ll miss most when I retire,” Tribuzi said. “That’s a real gift.”

April Pietsch, the color guard director at San Mateo High School, knows firsthand the impact Tribuzi has had on the lives of his students. She was a student in Tribuzi’s first class at the school along with her husband Brian Pietsch. And their daughter is currently in Tribuzi’s last freshman class as a member of the band and winter color guard.

Tribuzi, April Pietsch said, is like a magnet to students. They turn to him for advice and he trusts them with responsibilities. While co-captain of the color guard in high school, April Pietsch said Tribuzi had a fairly hands-off approach when it came to the guard, allowing her and her teammates to lead themselves.

“I love how he interacts with the kids, relates to the kids,” April Pietsch said. “They want to be with him and near him. It’s very rare that you have students who want to hang with the teachers.”

For decades now, Tribuzi has sacrificed his weekends and spring breaks to mentor students or to travel with them to competitions, April Pietsch said, noting that while she’s sad to see him go, the time off is well deserved.

Tribuzi’s beginnings

Tribuzi began teaching music at San Mateo High School in 1989 after earning a master’s degree in music at California State University, East Bay, known as California State University, Hayward, at the time. Before embarking on the master’s program, Tribuzi had studied music education at San Francisco State University and taught briefly in the South San Francisco Unified School District.

Brad Friedman, San Mateo High School’s former drama teacher was hired the same year as Tribuzi and said the pair practically grew up together. They had big shoes to fill, Friedman said, noting Tribuzi did it well.

“Pretty much alone in terms of what we did. He had his music building, I had my theater,” said Friedman, who worked with Tribuzi for 28 years before retiring in 2019. “At the same time, we both recognized the draw of any art program to students, that’s why they come to school.”

Unlike many educators in other departments like history, English, math and science, Friedman noted he and Tribuzi were the only teachers in their respective departments but they found camaraderie in each other and in Tribuzi’s wife Robyn who also joined the faculty to teach dance.

The trio would craft at least one performance together a year. Tribuzi said the school’s rendition of “West Side Story” holds a special place in his heart while Friedman recalled their production of “Rent” and a moment in which Tribuzi took the stage and performed with the orchestra.

“This was a real joy. It was also sometimes a challenge. It’s art and we could get artistic about it,” Friedman said, fondly remembering arguments over tempo, holding auditions and deciding on castings. “I remember it all quite fondly, although it wasn’t that long ago. I’m very proud of what we did. I worked with him for 28 years and I’m very proud of each show we came up with together.”

Stepping away

Deciding to step away from a program you largely crafted can be tough, Friedman said. Tribuzi acknowledged that. Before he finally retired, he wanted to make sure he rebuilt the department after it took a hit during the pandemic so that whomever he passed it to would have a strong base to build their own vision.

Now, Tribuzi said he knows it’s the right moment for him to pass the torch to someone new. If asked, he said he’d be happy to help out but ultimately, he said, the program and its vision will belong to someone else and he’s OK with that.

“It’s their program, once I walk out of here, they’re going to do it how they want to do it,” Tribuzi said, noting the rest of the semester is full of activities to keep him busy.

In the meantime, he and his wife have plans to travel. The couple already has tickets for an Alaskan cruise that starts when the new school year begins and to Italy in October.

Students, former and current collogues and those whose lives have been touched by Attilio Tribuzi will be gathering to celebrate the maestro and his career on Saturday, May 6 from 6-10 p.m. at the William E. Walker Recreation Center in Foster City.

The Music Boosters are also establishing the Tribuzi Scholarship Fund in Attilio Tribuzi’s honor. Donations can be made to the fund which will award a scholarship to a student at the end of each school year.

“Til Tribuzi has had a huge impact on thousands of students over his 30 years of teaching music at San Mateo High School. He helped students refine their skills as well as introduced them to new instruments,” San Mateo High School Principal Yvonne Shiu said. “His dedication and love for music has inspired so many. He is patient, kind and funny. Students love, honor and respect him as both a teacher and musician. He will be missed.”

Visit bearcatmusic.org to learn more about how to support the San Mateo High School music program.