Pitcher returned to Wayland in the fall of 2021 to succeed Karen Nofsinger as orchestra instructor and director after teaching at the Goshen, Ind., school system. He graduated from Western Michigan University and was the bassist for a folk group at WMU.

Wayland High School graduate Kyle Pitcher came back to his alma mater to teacher orchestra, but has accepted a similar post at Rockford High School after only a year here.

Pitcher’s grandfather, Bobby Kerley taught social sciences, debate and speech at Wayland High School in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s, so his local roots run deep. He is the son of Rene’ and Roger Pitcher of Dorr.

He was director of the fifth and sixth grade orchestra at Goshen High School in Indiana for past four years before coming to Wayland.