Walter Dyett
Walter Henri Dyett was an American violinist and music educator in the Chicago Public Schools system. He served as music director and assistant music director at Chicago's predominantly African-American high schools; Wendell [Phillips Academy High School|Wendell Phillips High School] and DuSable High School. Dyett served as musical director at DuSable High School from its opening in 1935 until 1962. He trained many students who became professional musicians.
Career
After studying pre-medical courses at University of California, Berkeley, Dyett returned to his home town of Chicago, where he worked in vaudeville orchestras and directed an Army band, after which he was known as Captain Dyett. In 1931, he became assistant musical director and later musical director at Wendell Phillips High School in Chicago and, in 1935, moved to DuSable High School when it opened. He received his B.M. degree at VanderCook College of Music in 1938, and his M.M. degree at the Chicago Musical College in 1942.DuSable High School
Students
Among the musicians who studied in Dyett's program are:- Gene Ammons
- Fred Below
- Ronnie Boykins
- Oscar Brashear
- Homer Brown
- Wilbur Campbell
- Sonny Cohn
- Nat King Cole
- Jerome Cooper
- Richard Davis
- Bo Diddley
- Dorothy Donegan
- Jimmy Ellis
- George Freeman
- Von Freeman
- John Gilmore
- Bennie Green
- Johnny Griffin
- Eddie Harris
- Johnny Hartman
- Milt Hinton
- Fred Hopkins
- Joseph Jarman
- Leroy Jenkins
- Clifford Jordan
- Claude McLin
- Jesse Miller
- John E. Myatt
- Harold Ousley
- Pat Patrick
- Walter Perkins
- Julian Priester
- Wilbur Ware
- Dinah Washington
- John Young
- Redd Foxx
- Red Holloway
Death/Legacy