Cruising through the hallways of West Chicago, a soft melody escapes in the form of a whistle from choir director Brandon Fantozzi’s lips. As he roams through the halls he once attended, he stops by the choir room where instead of walking in to learn something new, he is now teaching new and curious minds. 

Brandon Fantozzi – known to most as Fan – has always been an active member of the community. In his high school years, he was a man of many talents, ranging from sports like swimming, baseball, and football to being in choir, band, and orchestra. He made sure to make the most out of the extracurriculars the school had to offer, making the most of the extracurricular opportunities the school offered.

“I took advantage of everything that I could while I was in high school, and as a result, it made for a really positive experience for me. So while I was ready for the next step, I also looked back and thought ‘I wouldn’t do anything different’, and I really loved my high school experience,” Fantozzi said. 

During his time on the football team, his willingness to improve individually and as a unit did not go unnoticed by Greg Hansen, the coach at the time.

“The challenge of practicing all week for one game is a grind, but Brandon always came ready to work and make the team better. He brought a positive attitude, enthusiasm and a great work ethic to our workouts, practices, and games. Again, always striving to make the team better rather than gaining individual praise,” Hansen said. 

The roar of the crowd has always had a hold on Fantozzi. Whether it is in the field or on stage. While football allowed him to express his physical prowess and strategic teamwork, music helped him find emotional support as well as artistic expression. 

“There’s just something about those Friday Night Lights which is hard to beat. I mean, really, the closest thing to Friday Night Lights football is literally performing on stage, it’s that same kind of energy and enthusiasm. You have to be on your game for all of it on top of things,” Fantozzi said. 

Colleagues and former students describe Fantozzi as a hard worker who is determined to succeed in multiple areas of his life. He is always striving to reach a goal whether it is choosing challenging songs to perform or picking new recipes to try out.

“When I get involved in something I go all in. I’ve tried to do that, by being a teacher that goes all in on my students and committing to them, and trying to be a support system for them,” Fantozzi said. “I love to cook any style of food. My wife laughs, she says that she cooks for survival and I cook for fun – which is true. I’m always trying new recipes, new dishes, and new techniques.”  

Despite the fact that COVID-19 resulted in a decrease of students signing up to take choir, Fantozzi never gave up hope that numbers would start climbing back up, reflecting his commitment to the program.

“My hopes for the future, professionally, is that I can try and continue to grow enthusiasm and energy to get more kids involved, just because I think kids don’t necessarily know what they’re missing,” Fantozzi said. 

His ability to connect with and understand his students on a personal level makes him a teacher many students say they appreciate.

“The only regret I have is not joining choir sooner,” former choir student Emily Nosky said.

Students say Fantozzi dedicates additional time and effort to support them. He creates accommodating lesson plans and dedicates days to talk in order to make everyone feel included and keep them in the loop.

“It wasn’t just a class for him, but a way to make a difference in a student’s life by helping them establish a safe space,” former choir student Ellie Hurley said.

Freshman year can be a challenging transition for many students, as they are trying to find who they really are through different sports and activities and during that time, Fantozzi offered a place where anyone and everyone was welcome no matter your age, ethnicity, background, or even lack of singing experience. Students say his classroom feels welcoming and inclusive.

“Within high school you grow so much, and Fan was like our ‘dad’ who was there to see us through all of it. Among tripped notes and missing the occasional crescendo, he taught us to do better even if we wanted to give up. During the final concert I remember so vividly singing ‘yellow brick road’ with some of the most wonderful people by my side and before i knew it, my eyes were welling up and it really clicked in my head that the place I called ‘home’ would soon disappear,” former choir student Sentia Irakoze (Class of ’25) said.

Throughout his years at WEGO, several students say he has inspired them to pursue music and leadership opportunities, even offering to help guide students through college applications and giving students a unique leadership opportunity of becoming a student director, helping guide the a cappella chamber choir during performances and in case of his absence. 

“I owe so much of what I know about music and leadership to him. Fan was the most welcoming person my freshman year. He made us feel seen and welcome in a new school,” former student director Maggie Hancock (Class of ’24) said. “Student directing helped me grow as a leader and as a musician. It gave me the confidence to apply for the School of Music at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.”

Fantozzi has impacted many lives during his time at WEGO. Through his passion for music and focus on creating safe spaces, Fantozzi continues to shape the experiences of students in his program.

“I want to be remembered as a teacher that instilled passion and excitement, and even if kids walk away from high school never doing music again, when that one song comes on the radio, or streaming whatever you want to think of it, maybe it will awaken something in their soul or spirit, and music can become kind of a therapy for people,” Fantozzi said.