
It’s hard to believe that a new year and semester are already well underway. It is early February, the campus has a light covering of snow, and the eagles have returned to the area. Winter in Iowa is in all of its splendor.
Life on campus is beginning to feel more normal each semester as we learn how to better manage the reality of COVID. Enrollments throughout the band program continue to be strong, and of course, the students have been fantastic.
The Hawkeye Marching Band had a rewarding but busy fall with the usual slate of performances in Kinnick but also a few exhibitions at high school marching band festivals, and a memorable trip to The Ohio State University which culminated in a collaborative halftime show with the OSUMB. The band students and faculty at OSU were extremely kind and welcoming to us, and I predict the members of the HMB will fondly remember the joint halftime performance of the Elton John Show for the remainder of their lives.
Our concert bands presented a full schedule of concerts in Voxman in the fall, and the Iowa Symphony Band was proud to host composer Joel Love for a performance of his new concerto, Solace: A Lyric Concerto, by Kenneth Tse. This was but one of many memorable moments from this fall.

The annual Iowa Dinner was held at The Berghoff in Chicago in conjunction with the Midwest Clinic. Approximately 60 alumni, faculty, and students gathered to join in fun conversation and fine food, and to celebrate being Hawks. How very proud I was to observe the many generations of students meeting and sharing stories of their experiences when they were on campus. Without doubt, there is a special bond that connects those that call themselves Hawkeyes.
The Iowa Honor Band continues to be an important event for the School of Music. This year, we had almost 300 applications for membership so I decided to form two honor bands for the first time during my 15-year tenure. I also decided to name the bands in honor of two people who are very special to the University of Iowa - Himie Voxman and Myron D. Welch. Also, Dr. Welch will guest conduct the Voxman Honor Band in its inaugural performance, and I will have the honor of conducting the Welch Honor Band. The honor band weekend is February 18-19, and it will be wonderful to have the many students and their teachers in the Voxman Music Building.

As we are preparing to host the Iowa Honor Band, the Symphony Band has been busy rehearsing its program for performance at the 88th annual convention of the American Bandmasters Association at the University of Kansas. The Symphony Band will perform in the Lied Center of Kansas at 8:45PM on March 1, 2023. The students and I are honored to represent the University of Iowa at this prestigious event.

The excitement will continue into March with a concert band tour to the Republic of Ireland over spring break. There are 72 participants on the tour, and our major stops include Galway, Cork, and Dublin. Along with visiting numerous historical and cultural sites, the band will give a joint performance with the Cork Philharmonic Winds on March 15. This tour is certain to be a highlight for all involved.
As you can see, everyone is keeping busy, and there are many exciting activities on and off campus. Each of us involved in Iowa Bands is proud to carry forward the rich tradition of the University of Iowa band program.
If you are ever on campus, please stop by the Voxman Music Building for a visit. I wish you and yours a very happy and healthy new year.
Go Hawks!
Director of Bands/Professor