- Xi (Illinois) member Roosevelt Griffin was recently awarded the John LaPorta Jazz Educator of the Year Award.
- Mu (Ohio) member Nancy Ditmer has been called into service at Ashland University to help out a director serving a medical deployment with the Ohio National Guard.
- Rho (Alabama) Chapter President Dr. Rusty Courson was given the honor of having the band room at Smith Station High School named after him.
- The Hebron High School Band, led by Alpha (Texas) member Andy Sealy, recently received recognition by the city of Frisco for its extraordinary achievements this school year!
- Congratulations to Rho (Alabama) member Clifford (Ski) Winter for being selected to the Alabama Music Education Association Hall of Fame!
- The Ole Miss Marching Band, led by Delta (Mississippi) member Randy Dale, is coming closer to a long overdue practice facility upgrade.
- Lambda Zeta (Oregon) member Noelle Freshner just concluded a big performance at OMEA with her St. Helens HS Wind Ensemble.
- Kappa Theta (Minnesota) member Leon Sieve was able to share a special gift of a t-shirt with his Rosemount High School Students recently. (Spoiler Alert: Rose Parade!!)
- Rho (Alabama) member Rusty Courson is organizing a community band in Smith’s Station, a community between Auburn, AL and Columbus, GA.
- Rho (Alabama) member Ken Ozello will have his Miliion Dollar Band on one of the biggest stages in America tonight!
- The Tennessee State University marching band was featured internationally in the Tournament of Roses Parade. Eta (Tennessee) member Dr. Reginald McDonald is the director.
- Zeta (Georgia) member Myra King Rhoden received not one, but TWO major awards at the Midwest Clinic last month!
- Sigma (South Dakota) member Kevin Kessler conducts Northwest Iowa Honor Band.
- Psi (Kentucky) member Brian Froedge recently concluded his teaching career with a performance with the North Hardin band at the Midwest Clinic!
- The Tyler Junior College Wind Ensemble, directed by Alpha (Texas) member Jeremy Strickland will be the FIRST junior college band to perform at the Texas Music Educators Association con-vention.
- The Pride of Oklahoma, led by Beta member Brian Britt, stepped up to help a snow-bound and stranded band of Ducks headed south.
- A very generous gift by two local citizens is leading the way to giving Iota (Kansas) member Frank Tracz a special honor!
- More “back story” about Frank Tracz and new Kansas State Band facility.
- Great article about International Honorary member Max McKee!
- The Sudler Trophy is being awarded to the Jacksonville State University Marching Band under the leadership of Rho (Alabama) member Ken Bodiford!
- Omicron (Arkansas) member Rusty Hart found an unusual opportunity to get his Cabot Band on stage at Carnegie Hall!
- Sigma (South Dakota) member Rolf Olson brought over 100 musicians from 28 schools in the Aberdeen area together to “reboot” an annual honor band.
- Alpha Gamma (North Dakota) member James Popejoy brought a traditional live concert of holiday favorites back to the University of North Dakota campus.
- Nu (Pennsylvania) member Ned Deihl continues to support the Blue Band endowments set up by former students.
- Rho (Alabama) member Ken Ozello will be moving the University of Alabama Million Dollar Band down the streets of NYC this morning as part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
- Somerville ISD had a special celebration at halftime to recognize Alpha (Texas) member Carl Idlebird for his four decades of service to the children of the Brazos Valley.
- Tau (West Virginia) member J.P. Lynch has an interesting hobby that really keeps him busy around this time each year!
- Tau (West Virginia) Chapter collaborates with the West Virginia Band Directors Association to create a valuable professional development activity for current teachers, as well as setting future band directors up for success.
- Beta (Oklahoma) member Joseph Missal named to Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame.
- The new President of the Kansas Bandmasters Association is Iota member Frank Perez.
- A tremendous honor has been bestowed on Alpha (Texas) member Jose Antonio Diaz. We are fortunate to have members that set such high standards in their teaching, but also serve those in need.
- Sigma (South Dakota) member Kevin Kessler and the Pride of the Dakotas will be able to continue an indoor concert tradition that provides fun for fans and also helps the community!
- Eta (Tennessee) member Don Ryder has decided to step down from “Rocky Top”, but not before achieving service awards for all of his students and a top flight place to rehearse!
- Alpha Gamma (North Dakota) member Sigurd Johnson is stepping back from the “Saturday Night Lights”, but will continue teaching and supporting the Gold Star Band. He also recently celebrated another significant life anniversary!
- Xi Chapter (Illinois) member Matthew Bufis has his Evanston Township band in Grand Champion form…for the fourth consecutive year!
- Delta (Mississippi) Chapter member Jamie Young was recently recognized by her school board for receiving a national honor!
- Sigma (South Dakota) member Todd Carr is reviving the Mount Marty University Community Band. It had been functioning for over 50 years until the pandemic.
- Psi (Kentucky) member Amy Acklin will have a very special (and courageous) helper at halftime tomorrow with the University of Louisville Cardinal Band.
- Rho (Alabama) Member Lori Hart recently guided her Wicksburg band to a historic performance!
- Sigma (South Dakota) member Daniel Carlson is taking his Lincoln High School Band to some new heights after a long hiatus.
- Rho (Alabama) member Robert W. Smith has started a foundation to help underserved students get a shot at beginning instruction in music. Serving as Vice-President is Zeta (Georgia) memberAlfred Watkins.
- Nu (Pennsylvania) member R Tad Greig will have the Westminster College Wind Ensemble performing as a showcase ensemble at an important regional event in February!
- Kappa (Colorado) member Chad Lemons is preparing some special needs performers for a verybig public performance.
- The University of Memphis honors late Eta (Tennessee) and Psi (Kentucky) member Joe Sills.
- Gamma (Indiana) member Janis M Stockhouse will be helping students from small schools have big musical experience on November 2nd!
- Omega (Florida) member Eddie Steadman elected to Copiah-Lincoln Community College Hall of Fame!
- We all face challenges, but thankfully most are not like what Phi (New Mexico) Chapter member Ty Frederick dealt with this weekend! This is a great story of how the band community stepped up to help his Las Cruces students.
- The Naples, Florida Concert Band is celebrating a half-century of musical and philanthropic service. It is conducted by Nu (Pennsylvania) Past-President Harris Lanzel.
- Theta (South Carolina) member Tom Finigan has his Colleton County students firing on all cylinders!
- Congratulations to Alpha Gamma member Evan Meiers, Minot High School band director, whois the 2021 recipient of the Minot State University (ND) Young Alumni Achievement Award.
- Alpha Theta (Nebraska) member Chad Scharff Named Teacher of the Week.
