Eldon Janzen | 2007

Eldon Janzen

Eldon Janzen was Director of Bands at the University of Arkansas from 1970 to 1995. In addition to serving as Director of the marching band and conductor of the symphonic band, he taught instrumental methods and graduate conducting. He was Interim Chair of the Music Department in 1983 and continued as Coordinator of Music Education from 1983 to 1995.

Professor Janzen received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Oklahoma State University and his Master of Music Education degree from North Texas State University, where he also served as Assistant to Director of Bands Maurice McAdow.

Mr. Janzen taught in the public schools of Oklahoma and Texas for 14 years before he was appointed Director of Music Activities for the Irving Texas school system in 1966. During this time, Mr. Janzen developed band programs which consistently produced outstanding performing organizations in both marching and concert competition. His professional affiliations included American Bandmasters Association; Music Educators National Conference; College Band Directors National Association; Kappa Kappa Psi; Tau Beta Sigma and Lions International. Mr. Janzen has served as President of Texas Bandmasters Association; President of Southwest Division of CBDNA; President of Arkansas Bandmasters Association and President of Phi Beta Mu International.

He has been honored for his contribution to music education by membership in the Arkansas Phi Beta Mu Hall of Fame. He received the Phi Beta Mu International Award for outstanding contribution to music, was named Life President of Arkansas Bandmasters Association, and is a recipient of the Distinguished Service citation by Kappa Kappa Psi. His textbook Band Director’s Survival Guide was widely used in instrumental methods courses throughout the country.

Jack White | 2007

Jack White

Jack White received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Northeast Louisiana State College in 1957 and his Master of Music degree from Louisiana State University in 1961.

In 1958 he began his teaching career in Monroe, La. after serving in the U.S. Army, where he completed Airborne training. From 1964-1970 he was Director of Bands at Ouachita Parish High School, and from 1970 served as Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music at Northeast Louisiana University, retiring in 1991.

In addition to his teaching duties, Mr. White has served as adjudicator, clinician, consultant, guest conductor and guest lecturer at centres throughout the U.S. In 2010 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to Music Education from the South Central Music Educators Society.

Colonel Earl D. Irons (1891–1967) | 2002

Colonel Earl D. Irons

Colonel Earl D. Irons conceived and founded the national honorary bandmasters fraternity of Phi Beta Mu.

“Colonel” Irons was born on a farm in Hopkins County, Texas. His music education began at age 4 on the violin. After playing snare drum in a community band, he traded instruments with a cornet player and thus began a career as a cornetist. His early instruction on cornet was by G.W. Blake, an English bandmaster.

Earl Irons attained the title “Colonel” when he was made Lt. Colonel on the staff of Governor of Texas by Governor James V. Allred. “Colonel” was presented with an honorary Doctor of Music degree in 1942 by the Zoellner Conservatory of Music in Hollywood, California. He became a member of the American Bandmasters Association in 1936, and from 1940 through 1948 he was a member of the ABA Board of Directors.

One of the great pioneers of American music education, Earl Irons composed numerous pieces for both bands and brass instruments. His most popular publication was an instruction book for cornet, Twenty-Seven Groups of Exercises.

Jack H. Mahan (1911–1995) | 2002

Jack Harold Mahan

Jack Harold Mahan, Honorary Life Member of the American Bandmasters Association, was born in Fort Worth, Texas. Over the years he served as ABA’s President, Secretary-Treasurer and Board member.

Jack attended North Texas State Agricultural College where for several years he was an assistant to ABA member Col. Earl D. Irons, legendary band director at the school. After pursuing graduate courses at the Chicago Conservatory, he received a Master of Education degree from Southern Methodist University. In 1956 he succeeded Col. Irons as Director of Bands at the Arlington State College, later to become the University of Texas at Arlington.

He was one of the first members initiated into Phi Beta Mu. He served as their Alpha chapter president three times and chapter secretary for 26 years and was elected Honorary Life Member and Honorary Life Executive Secretary of Phi Beta Mu. He was also made an Honorary Life Member of Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

D.O. Wiley (1898–1980) | 2002

D.O. Wiley

Dewey Otto Wiley, musician and band director, was born in Alexander, Texas. His unofficial title of “Father of Texas Bands” was earned partially because of the large number of his students who became Texas band directors, but primarily through his pioneer work with the Texas Music Educators Association and its predecessors.

As a child he taught himself to play violin through a mail order violin method. He attended Midland College where he conducted the school orchestra and taught violin. In 1922 he formed the famous Hardin–Simmons University Cowboy Band that toured the United States and Europe.

He was Band Director at Texas Technological University from 1934 until his retirement in 1959. It was during a Texas Tech summer band camp that Colonel Earl D. Irons founded the Alpha chapter of Phi Beta Mu with the help and encouragement of Dr. Wiley and other band directors attending the camp.

Dr. Milburn E. Carey (1912–2006) | 2000

Dr. Milburn E. Carey

Dr. Milburn E. Carey was born in Marion, Indiana. A noted music educator for 47 years, he was managing director of the Tri-State Music Festival in Enid, Oklahoma. This festival attracted up to 22,000 participants annually, primarily from Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.

He is listed in “Who’s Who in America” primarily due to his long-term contributions in band, orchestra, choral and drum and bugle corps music. These activities were achieved primarily through his positions as the bandmaster and director, School of Fine Arts, Phillips University; choir director at First United Methodist Church; and director of the American Legion “Legionettes,” all in Enid.

He served as national president of Phi Beta Mu for 23 years and was named International Honorary Life President.