The American Bandmasters Association

The American Bandmasters Association, founded in 1929, with John Philip Sousa as Honorary Life President, recognizes outstanding achievement on the part of Concert Band conductors and composers. The current membership (invitational) comprises approximately 300 band conductors and composers in the USA and Canada, and 80 Associate Members (music businesses and corporations that provide significant services to bands and to the publication of band music.)

VISITORS ARE WELCOME to the ABA WEBSITE.
The “LATEST NEWS” for MEMBERS and VISITORS IS PRINTED BELOW.

A Message From ABA President David Waybright

Moving Forward with Dispatch
Much like all ABA members, I have spent most of my career trying to make a band program better. It has always been my contention that programs rarely stay the same; they are either improving or deteriorating. Much like our band programs, our organization cannot afford to stand still, waiting for something good to happen. If we attend our ABA conferences only to visit with friends, have a vacation and complain about long meetings, we probably won’t accomplish very much to move the profession of wind band music forward.

Each of you, regardless of age, has a distinguished career behind and ahead of you. As accomplishment is a prerequisite for membership, it goes without saying that we have an organization of talented and creative thinkers and leaders. I have been very impressed at our conventions by observing your talents, wisdom, and enthusiasm for quality music making. As I reflect on our organization of artists, I ponder what is next for each of us and what is next for ABA. While we individually and collectively have accomplished a great deal, what is the next “big thing” on our horizon? I am not suggesting that you come up with a “Big Idea” for ABA, although some big ideas would be nice. How about 300 little ideas or contributions, one from each of us? The board is considering a conductor fellowship proposal recently brought to us by a prominent ABA member. If implemented, I believe this has the potential to be a “Big Idea” that grew from a small moment of reflection from a thoughtful member. I am constantly reminded that even the “Facebook” craze was once a “little idea.” Here are a few ways you can help move ABA forward if you are struggling with new ideas.

1. Continue to attend conferences, and initiate contact with friends who have not recently attended, encouraging their attendance.
2. Contribute an article to the Journal of Band Research.
3. Support current programs: e.g., encourage composers to enter the Ostwald competition and suggest a composer for our commissioning project; or perhaps let Dick Floyd know about worthwhile projects his committee should pursue.
4. Sponsor a new member if you have not undertaken that, or a convention, or an event at a convention.
5. Contribute financially or donate relevant materials to our research center.
6. Brainstorm over coffee with a few other members about where we are going and what we need to accomplish in the next five years.

Most organizations need a five-year plan but don’t go to the trouble to implement one. I am going to ask the Board to reflect on our vision for the future just as I am asking you to do so now. Where do we want to be in five years professionally and organizationally? A recent new member of ABA attended his first convention and remarked to me; “This is an association of rabbits”; slightly offended, I asked, “What do you mean?” He said, “All we do is eat and breed” (new members). I reminded him of all of the projects, many of which I mentioned here, that we have brought to fruition over the years and the new ideas that are springing forth from many of you; however, this made me wonder what must non-ABA members think of us? When preparing to leave for the Tampa convention, one of my music education colleagues remarked, “What are you going to do, practice your secret handshake?” I said, “Yes, that and much more.” It has become increasingly apparent to me that we must try to project, promote, and clarify our message about who we are as ABA members and as an organization, both to each other and to the outside world. I resolve to move forward with dispatch and hope you will join me.

David A. Waybright, President
The American Bandmasters Association

2014 ABA CONVENTION
The Renaissance Hotel in downtown Montgomery is the site of the Convention (March 5 – 8, 2014) and it is ideal. The guest rooms are beautiful and the meeting facilities are impressive. The 1800 seat auditorium, built in 2008, is connected to the hotel, and therefore convenient and perfect for our concerts.

The groups performing in 2014 include: Troy University (the host institution), The University of Alabama, Reinhardt University, The University of South Carolina, and the United States Air Force Band.

Larry Blocker, Director of Troy's School of Music, and Mark Walker, Troy's Director of Bands, will administrate the Convention along with our host, the legendary John Long. I will work diligently with them to see that you have a wonderful convention, and after visiting this week, I am quite confident that will be the case.

David Waybright, President

ABA POSITION PAPER AVAILABLE
School Band Directors may be interested in an ABA position paper that was generated by the ABA School Bands Task Force, Bill Gora — Chair, and adopted at the 2006 ABA convention. If so, click here.

2012 SOUSA/OSTWALD COMPOSITION CONTEST WINNER ANNOUNCED
The winner of the composition contest is:

Michael Gandolfi Flourishes and Meditations

The winning composition will be performed during the 2013 annual American Bandmasters Association Convention in Tampa, FL, March 6 – 9, 2013.

Latest News of Interest

ABA NEWSLETTER NEEDS YOU NOW!!
Dick Clardy requests your contribution to our ABA Newsletter:

"As we share stories, anecdotes, professional activities, and other important happenings with others, we certainly help strengthen the ABA.

For those of you that are not able to attend this convention, it is a great way for you to stay connected with your fellow members. For you folks that are almost never able to attend, it is an even more compelling reason to send a greeting to your fellow members for the Newsletter. Please share this with your spouse if they are the one more likely to respond.

ABA will post and send the Newsletter via email to the membership in mid-October. If any individual wants the Newsletter to be sent to you via US mail, please advise and I will gladly send. A second Newsletter will be produced just prior to the convention.

Please also be aware that President Tom Leslie and the gracious hosts of the ABA Convention in Tampa for March 6-9, 2013 are urging you to plan and made your reservations to attend.

As of now, I have received two responses for the Newsletter - Robert Jager and myself.

Please send your news to: dclardy@choicemusicevents.org or dclardy@foundationformusiceducation.org"

BEGIAN CD TO BE RELEASED AT MIDWEST
From Tim Rhea, Legacy Recording Commitee
The first ABA compact disc, featuring the conducting of Harry Begian, is planned for release at the Midwest International Band & Orchestra Clinic this December. Bruce Leek did a superb job of mastering and instilling new life into the works selected for this CD which contains the following: Symphony in Bb - Paul Hindemith; performed by the Cass Tech HS Symphony Band; Lincolnshire Posy - Percy Grainger; Armenian Dances, Set I - Alfred Reed; Liebestod - Wagner/Bainum; The Free Lance March - J.P. Sousa; Valdres - Johannes Hanssen; Waltzes from "Der Rosenkavalier" - Strauss/Cailliet; The Pines of the Appian Way - Respighi/Duker; all performed by the University of Illinois Symphonic Band. The cost of the CD is $15.95, and will be available from Shattinger Music during the upcoming Midwest Clinic in Chicago. I am grateful to Mark Morette for supplying the master tapes of both the Cass Tech High School Symphony Band & the University of Illinois Symphonic Band, and to Jeni Paulson of CopyCat Music for handling copyright clearance issues. Leon Galison and his team at Klavier are currently processing the artwork and will manufacture the CDs. Randy Foster at Naxos will be involved with distribution as will Klavier. Any profits from the recording will be deposited in the Harris Fund to help defray costs of future ABA conventions. The other committee members are: John Boyd, Jim Copenhaver, Randy Foster, Leon Galison, Bruce Leek, Charles Nail, Jeni Paulson, Gary Smith, and Loras Schissel. I highly encourage all members of The American Bandmasters Association to add this historically significant recording to their library.