 Begian also later recounted that Teal had offered to help pay for his degree.Other influences at this time that Begian credited with shaping his approach to music were William D. Revelli, who showed him that "a band could be a refined musical instrument," Leonard Falcone, whose solo playing taught him what musical expression is, and his trumpet teacher, Leonard Smith, principal chair at the DSO, who taught him the importance of accuracy and dynamic control.During Begian’s tenure at Cass Tech, the program developed a reputation for excellence and was invited to perform at venues such as the prestigious Mid-West Band Clinic in 1954.