Walter Dyett
Walter Henri Dyett (also known as Captain Walter Henri Dyett) was an American violinist and music teacher in Chicago’s public schools. He was born January 11, 1901, in Chicago, Illinois, and died November 17, 1969, in Chicago, at age 68.
Dyett studied pre-med at the University of California, Berkeley, before returning to Chicago to work in vaudeville orchestras and lead an Army band, earning the nickname Captain Dyett. In 1931 he became assistant music director at Wendell Phillips High School, and later its music director. In 1935, when DuSable High School opened, he moved there and served as music director until 1962.
He earned a Bachelor of Music from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago in 1938 and a Master of Music from the Chicago Musical College in 1942. Through his work, many of his students went on to become professional musicians.
Dyett High School in Chicago is named in his honor.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 08:00 (CET).