American School Band Directors Association (ASBDA)

Meet our President, Keith Farmer.
Keith has been a member of ASBDA since 2006 and is currently the Band Director at Grandview High School.

"I love the extended family aspect of ASBDA and how we connect and help each other all across the country. I feel like I have a friend everywhere I go!"

Our recipient of the A. Austin Harding Award this year is Robert W. Smith. His wonderful wife and music educator, Susan Smith, will accept this award in his honor.
Noted composer and band director at Troy University in Troy, Alabama, Robert W. Smith left his mark on the entire band world as a composer and arranger, but mostly as a teacher. As an alumnus of Troy University, he assumed the director of bands position in 1997. He also served as the coordinator for the Music Industry Program there and worked with Warner Brothers, Alfred Music, and C.L. Barnhouse Music publishers. His compositions include over 600 works, including three complete symphonies, in addition to solo works and arrangements for literally every genre of instrumental ensemble that exists.
Robert’s unanimous affirmation vote for this award was made just days before his untimely passing this past fall. Exceptional contributions have been made to the school band movement by several individuals, whose careers have not included extensive teaching in the fields of Grade, Junior, and Senior High School bands in the schools. The A. Austin Harding Award is presented to these individuals for valuable and dedicated service to the bands of America as a measure of ASBDA's esteem, appreciation, and respect for their outstanding personal contribution to the school band movement.
The A. Austin Harding Award
Exceptional contributions have been made to the school band movement by a number of individuals, whose careers have not included extensive teaching in the fields of Grade, Junior, and Senior High School bands in the schools. The A. Austin Harding Award is presented to these individuals for valuable and dedicated service to the bands of America as a measure of ASBDA's esteem, appreciation, and respect for their outstanding personal contribution to the school band movement.

Fran Shelton conducted the Hendersonville High School band for 28 years. She was inducted into the North Carolina Bandmasters Hall of Fame, becoming the youngest band leader to be honored by that organization and the fourth
woman.
A Hendersonville native and 1977 graduate of Hendersonville High School, Shelton was only the fourth band director
in the history of the school’s much-decorated band program. She attended Mars Hill College and after graduating with degrees in elementary education and music education, Shelton earned a master’s degree in music education from Appalachian State University. She taught band at Robbinsville High School for five years before returning to Hendersonville to teach at HHS and Hendersonville Middle School.
Under her baton, the school symphonic and marching bands performed at the Billy Graham Congressional Medal Ceremony, the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, the Gator, Sugar and Orange Bowls, Carnegie Hall, Symphony Hall in Boston, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Chicago Symphony Hall, the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Los Angeles, Disney World, and Atlanta Symphony Hall. In September 2011, School Band Orchestra magazine featured HHS as "A Small School with a Big Band"
A past president of the North Carolina Bandmasters, Shelton also served as tour director of the North Carolina Band Ambassadors, leading high school musicians on performing trips to Europe. She also has served as the musical director of the Asheville Community Band.

The American School Band Directors Association presents the "Outstanding State Award" to those ASBDA State Chapters who perform at the highest level possible. Nominees can gain points by performing such duties as gaining new state chapter members, retaining state chapter membership, chapter membership attendance at the national convention, successful state activities and projects, submissions of articles for publication in the ASBDA national newsletter, and holding regularly scheduled state chapter meetings.

Congratulations.

ASBDA and Solo Scholarship Competition winners are: $500 Scholarship—Brett Tompkins, tuba from Dubuque Hempstead & $100 West Music gift card—Cyrus Guizar, alto sax from Waterloo East. Thank you to all 5 students who auditioned. Thank you West Music for sponsoring!

New Colorado member, Adam Terry, receiving his pin at his band concert at the Falcon Creek MS in Aurora yesterday.

Congratulations to Kentucky member Willow Cooper, and her students for an amazing performance today at KMEA!

Alex Kaminsky recently served as the HS Clinician for District One Honor Band.

Congratulations Kathy McGrady for being named the Ohio Music Education Association’s 2024 Da Capo Distinguished Service Award recipient.

2024 Conducting Symposium of the Rockies Registration - Fri Jan 5th and Sat Jan 6th 2024

We are excited to welcome Dr. Bob Belser (Retired, University of Wyoming) and Composer Kirk Vogel as clinicians for 2024!

Symposium is for band directors, retired directors, & students (8th grade—college)
We will learn from our clinicians, share wisdom with each other, and prepare to kick off our semesters with energy!

Participating directors may invite up to 3 students to the symposium.

The Symposium Band is comprised of all attendees (directors and students)
Sessions Include:
Lectures and discussions
Full-group conducting workshops
Opportunity to conduct with the Symposium Band
Q/A with clinicians

A look back at 2023!

A look back at 2023.

Well done, Kentucky Member Willow Cooper, on conducting the UK alumni band in Rupp Arena tonight!

Congratulations to our Al & Gladys Wright Lifetime Service to Bands Award recipient, Sonja Pluess (WI).

The Wright Award is a newly created recognition made possible by the ASBDA through the generous donation and contribution of Gladys Wright in memory of her husband Al.

The Wright Award is meant to recognize a retired band director who has made significant contributions to school bands during a distinguished career and continues to do so during retirement.
To be eligible for the award a recipient must have:
1. been an active ASBDA member and is currently a retired, dues-paying ASBDA member.
2. had a distinguished career prior to retirement which included service to bands and continued involvement by providing leadership, service, and/or other meaningful value to school bands, their directors, and to the profession as a whole.

To learn more about Sonja and the award, visit https://www.asbdaband.org/what-we-do/awards/the-al-gladys-wright-lifetime-service-to-bands-award

Friday at The Midwest Clinic Don’t forget to stop by Booth 1624 and say hello!

It was a standing-room-only crowd at the GenNEXT keynote address this morning! Chris Gleason, WI Teacher of the Year, shared his inspiring story with a room packed to the brim of music educators past, present, and future at the 77th Midwest Clinic.

Thursday at The Midwest Clinic Don’t forget to stop by Booth 1624 and say hello!

ASBDA at The Midwest Clinic
Kevin Callihan (KY) and the Youth Performing Arts Wind Ensemble.
12/20 2:30 W357AB

Wednesday at Don’t forget to stop by Booth 1624 and say hello!

ASBDA at The Midwest Clinic
Lt Col Bryan Miller (IL) New Music Reading Session

ASBDA at The Midwest Clinic
Bruce Moss and the Wheaton Municipal Band
https://www.midwestclinic.org/performers/midwest-clinic-performing-organization?gid=11658&pyear=2023

Congratulations to Elizabeth Jackson (MS) on being named District Teacher of the Year for the Ocean Springs School District.

Congratulations to our Teacher of the Year, Band Director Elizabeth Jackson!

Congratulations to the Madison Central Band Program for being awarded the ASBDA Mississippi Chapter Award of Excellence.
Left to right

Front Row – Jennifer Sills Assistant Director, Leigh Ann Ross Assistant Director, Katy Ables Assistant Director

Back Row – Scott Presley Assistant Director, Justin Wallace Assistant Director, Chuck Reynolds Director of Bands, Kraig Goreth Assistant Director, Tim Cagle Assistant Director

Liberty Middle School Director, Angela Smith, recently received her membership pin from President-Elect, Keith Farmer. Congratulations!

Day one of the ASBDA Region 4 Conference at the University of Delaware.

Special thanks to Thomas McGuire, the George Bush HS Percussion Ensemble, and for a fantastic concert and clinic. Bravo!

Thank you for sharing your insights and wisdom! Fantastic presentation on