Alumni Spotlight

This month’s Alumni Spotlight shines on Andrew Meehan, MHS '02, tracing his journey from a music enthusiast at Methacton to a professional film composer, music producer, and educator.

Andrew joined the Methacton School District in 1995 at Woodland Elementary. One of his favorite early memories involves performing "The Star-Spangled Banner" on the guitar at the school talent show. While he was brave enough to take the stage, he remembers being incredibly shy afterward.

Music was always a part of his life. "I learned about the entire Beatles catalog from my mother playing them in the house all the time as a child." During that same period, his uncle also showed him the classics of Rock & Roll, and helped develop his skills by teaching him the fundamentals of the guitar.

During high school, Andrew was still navigating his future path. He spent his time hanging out with friends and attending tech school, where he studied Environmental Horticulture. Andrew counts Mr. Cardillo—Oceanography teacher and Interim Assistant Principal—as one of his greatest influences from Methacton at the time. "Even when I was a 'tough' student, he believed in me and kept helping me. He was very patient, and stuck with me through the challenging years."

During his junior year, he discovered the deep emotional power of music: "I discovered the emotions that a song/guitar could pull out of you and I was hooked." Heavily influenced by the sounds of Pink Floyd, The Grateful Dead, Phish, and the Disco Biscuits, he found his true calling: "I knew then that I wanted to be in a band and play this kind of music all over the country."

After graduating from Methacton, Andrew pursued guitar performance with his mentor, the late Randy Sarles, a well-known Jazz artist and teacher to many generations of Methacton alumni and faculty. It was Randy who inspired Andrew to earn a Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music in 2008. In 2012, he co-founded the band Catullus with fellow Methacton alum, Chris Bailey, and they toured extensively for over a decade. "I really started writing music more prominently during this time," recalls Meehan.

Catullus is a progressive electronic rock jam band that has since become a staple of the Philadelphia music scene. The band has a signature sound—a high-octane fusion of progressive rock, deep funk grooves, and electronic dance beats. Andrew and his band have earned a reputation across the East Coast for high-energy, "sweat-inducing" live performances where no two sets are ever identical. They are frequent headliners at major regional venues and prominent music hotspots, including Ardmore Music Hall, The Gem, Bridgeport Ribhouse, and Sprout Music Collective. They have shared the stage with many national touring acts and have two albums to date.

Parallel to his performance career, Andrew dedicated himself to music education. He completed a Post-Baccalaureate Music Certification at West Chester University in 2013, earning his Pennsylvania teaching certification and subsequently holding several teaching positions, including at Skyview Upper Elementary.

In 2016, Andrew launched Meehan’s Music, initially operating as a freelance music producer and private instructor. The onset of the pandemic a few years later prompted a significant shift in his creative focus: "During the pandemic, I really took to honing my skills as a composer, and specifically a film composer."

To immerse himself in the industry, Andrew began attending various film festivals to network and preview upcoming releases. It was at one of these events that he met writer, actor, and director Kevin Interdonato. Following an initial exchange of ideas, Interdonato approached Andrew with his vision for the film Dirty Hands (now available on Amazon Prime and Apple TV), describing the specific atmosphere he wanted for the project. "He wanted a nostalgic synth-wave style score and since that was right up my alley, I composed a sample cue for him in what I thought was a good idea, and the rest was history."

Andrew has continued to advance his expertise through graduate studies, studying Screen Scoring at New York University in 2022, followed by a Master of Music Education from West Chester University in 2025. Since 2022, Andrew has been a faculty member at North Penn High School, where he teaches Modern Band, Guitar Lab I & II, and Music Production.

Reflecting on his journey, Andrew shares some meaningful advice with current Methacton students:

"It’s alright if you’re not a 'school type' or unsure about your future path. Don't fret if you haven't got it all figured out by graduation; things often shift in your early twenties anyway, so just keep on truckin'!"

He adds: "Just work hard and get good grades, as a good education is invaluable no matter your career choices."

Andrew resides in Montgomery County with his wife, Kelli. He has two sons, Hunter and Miles, and enjoys traveling the world with his family. He loves performing with his band, Catullus, composing for films, and serving on the worship team at JRNY Church in Phoenixville.

Email: information@methacton.org
Website: https://www.methacton.org/alumni-spotlight
Location: 1001 Kriebel Mill Road, Eagleville, PA, USA
Phone: 610-489-5000
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