1920-2007
Recognizing Historic High School Concert
Bands of Very Particular Musical Excellence
Administered by
The John Philip Sousa foundation
Endowed by Gladys & Al Wright
The Sousa Foundation “Historic Roll of Honor of Distinguished High School Concert Bands” was researched in three phases:
PHASE I (1920-1960) was chaired by Dr. Dale C. Harris and completed in 1987 following five years of review and evaluation and named 44 high school bands and 70 band directors.
PHASE II (1960-1980) was chaired by Dr. Victor Zajec and was completed in 1996 following six years of review and evaluation and named 61 high school bands and 63 band directors.
PHASE III (1980-1996 and continuing) consists of those high school bands and their directors who are awarded the “Sudler Flag of Honor” which involves a quality selection process equally rigorous as for Phases I and II.
Some 24 nationally recognized band directors, most of whom directed high school bands at one time in their career, served with Dr. Harris on the selection committee which handled the research and evaluation of the bands named to the 1920-1960 Historic Roll of Honor. More than two hundred high school concert bands were reviewed in the selection process.
In the same manner 18 equally qualified band directors served with Dr. Zajec in the selection process for the 1960-1980 Roll of Honor which reviewed some 320 band programs.
The purpose of the project is to identify high school concert bands “which are of a particularly high standard of musical excellence at the national level and which are considered to be of historic importance and influence to the high school concert band program.”
In the evaluation procedure the bands were selected as being particularly outstanding during a specific period of time and while they were under the direction of a particular conductor or conductors. No effort was made to achieve a “quota” of bands from any given state.
The result is not only a listing of truly outstanding high school band programs of historic interest from the inception of the school bands circa 1920, but, in addition, the names of the conductors form a veritable “Who’s Who” in the concert band field.
ADMINISTRATION The project was administered by the John Philip Sousa Foundation and implemented by the executive committee.
The membership of the executive committee is presently as follows:
Lowell Graham - President and CEO
Jay Gephart - Chairman of the Board
Roy Holder - Vice President for Operations
Gerald Guilbeaux - Vice President - Treasurer
Tim Rhea - Vice President - Secretary
Michael Colburn - Vice President for Project Enhancement
Doug Harter - Vice President for Finance and Invesment
|
State
|
Name of Band
|
City
|
Director(s)
|
|
Alabama
|
Robert E. Lee High School
|
Montgomery
|
John M. Long
|
|
Arkansas
|
Little Rock High School
|
Little Rock
|
Bruce Jones; Al Lape
|
|
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North Little Rock High School
|
North Little Rock
|
Ray Brandon
|
|
California
|
Modesto High School
|
Modesto
|
Frank Mancini
|
|
Colorado
|
Boulder High School
|
Boulder
|
Hugh McMillen; Harry Holmberg; Randell Spicer; Ed Kehn
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|
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Sterling High School
|
Sterling
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L. E. Smith; Kelsey Kirk; Lloyd Jensen
|
|
Florida
|
De Land High School
|
De Land
|
John J. Heney
|
|
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Miami Senior High School
|
Miami
|
Al G. Wright
|
|
Georgia
|
Jordan High School
|
Columbus
|
Robert Barr
|
|
Illinois
|
Harrison Technical High School
|
Chicago
|
John Barabash
|
|
|
Lane Technical High School
|
Chicago
|
Gardner Huff
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|
|
Senn High School
|
Chicago
|
Al Gish; Charles Ostergren
|
|
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Moosehart High School
|
Moosehart
|
George S. Howard
|
|
|
J. Sterling Morton High School
|
Cicero
|
Louis Blaha
|
|
|
York High School
|
Elmhurst
|
Maurice McAddow; Theodore Chopp; Louis Reimer
|
|
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Lockport High School
|
Lockport
|
Ernest Caneva
|
|
|
Joliet High School
|
Joliet
|
A. R. McAllister; Bruce Houseknecht
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|
|
Waukegan High School
|
Waukegan
|
Otto Graham
|
|
Indiana
|
G. R. Clark High School
|
Hammond
|
Nilo Hovey
|
|
|
Hobart High School
|
Hobart
|
William D. Revelli; B. W. Francis; Fred Ebbs
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|
Iowa
|
Centerville High School
|
Centerville
|
W. Grower; Robert Donaldson; Mark Kelly
|
|
|
Mason City High School
|
Mason City
|
Gerald Prescott; Carleton Stewart
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|
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Spencer High School
|
Spencer
|
Robert Dean
|
|
Louisiana
|
Alcee Fortier High School
|
New Orleans
|
Peter Dombourian
|
|
Maryland
|
Oxen Hills High School
|
Oxen Hills
|
William Johnson
|
|
Michigan
|
Cass Technical High School
|
Detroit
|
Clarence Byrne; Francis Hellstein; Harry Begian
|
|
|
Pontiac High School
|
Pontiac
|
Dale C. Harris
|
|
Minnesota
|
Edina Morningside High School
|
Edina
|
Butler Eitel
|
|
Mississippi
|
Greenwood High School
|
Greenwood
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Roy Martin; Perry B. Dennis; J. Clark
|
|
Nebraska
|
McCook High School
|
McCook
|
William Kelley
|
|
New Jersey
|
Thomas Jefferson High School
|
Elizabeth
|
Arthur Brandenburg
|
|
New York
|
Port Washington High School
|
Port Washington
|
Paul van Bodegraven
|
|
North Carolina
|
Lenoir High School
|
Lenoir
|
James C. Harper
|
|
Ohio
|
Canal Fulton High School
|
Canal Fulton
|
E. W. Puffenberger
|
|
|
Cleveland Heights High School
|
Cleveland Heights
|
Mark Hindsley; Ralph Rush; John Farinacci; Kaarlo Mackey
|
|
|
Fostoria High School
|
Fostoria
|
Jack Wainwright
|
|
Oklahoma
|
Durant High School
|
Durant
|
Roy Weger; Melburn Nixon; Kenneth Peters
|
|
|
Norman High School
|
Norman
|
William Robinson
|
|
|
N. W. Clawson High School
|
Oklahoma City
|
Oakley Pittman; Arthur Johnson
|
|
South Dakota
|
Washington High School
|
Sioux Falls
|
A. R. Thompson; Ardeen Foss
|
|
Texas
|
Brownsville High School
|
Brownsville
|
James Murphy
|
|
|
Odessa High School
|
Odessa
|
Robert Maddox
|
|
|
Plainview High School
|
Plainview
|
R. G. Davidson
|
|
Virginia
|
Maury High School
|
Norfolk
|
Sidney Berg
|
|
State
|
Name of Band
|
City
|
Director(s)
|
|
Alabama
|
Virgil Grissom High School
|
Huntsville
|
David Ward
|
|
|
Auburn High School
|
Auburn
|
Tommy Goff
|
|
Arkansas
|
Pine Bluff High School
|
Pine Bluff
|
R. B. Watson
|
|
Arizona
|
Camelback High School
|
Phoenix
|
William Sylvester
|
|
California
|
El Cajon High School
|
El Cajon
|
Benton Minor
|
|
|
Santa Monica High School
|
Santa Monica
|
James Hile
|
|
Colorado
|
Grand Junction High School
|
Grand Junction
|
Marion Jacob
|
|
Florida
|
Riverview High School
|
Sarasota
|
Andrew Crew
|
|
|
Winter Park High School
|
Winter Park
|
Jack Williams
|
|
|
Leon High School
|
Tallahassee
|
F. Lewis Jones
|
|
|
Fort Walton Beach High School
|
Fort Walton Beach
|
Ernest Hebson
|
|
Georgia
|
Hardaway High School
|
Columbus
|
David Gregory
|
|
Hawaii
|
McKinley High School
|
Honolulu
|
Henry Miyamura
|
|
Illinois
|
Ottawa High School
|
Ottawa
|
Ray Makeever
|
|
|
La Salle-Peru High School
|
La Salle
|
Chris Izzo
|
|
|
Wheeling High School
|
Wheeling
|
Jack Williamson
|
|
|
John Hersey High School
|
Arlington
|
Don Caneva
|
|
Indiana
|
Harrison High School
|
West Lafayette
|
Gladys Stone Wright
|
|
Iowa
|
Davenport Central High School
|
Davenport
|
F. E. Mortiboy
|
|
Kentucky
|
Holmes High School
|
Covington
|
Jim Copenhaver
|
|
|
Paul Blazer High School
|
Ashland
|
J. Larry Moore
|
|
Louisiana
|
Ouchita Parish High School
|
Monroe
|
Jack White
|
|
|
La Grange High School
|
Lake Charles
|
Perry B. Dennis
|
|
Michigan
|
East Detroit High School
|
East Detroit
|
Al Marco
|
|
|
Huron High School
|
Ann Arbor
|
Ed Downing
|
|
|
Muskegon High School
|
Muskegon
|
William Stewart; Carl Bjerregaard
|
|
|
Plymouth High School
|
Plymouth
|
James Griffith
|
|
|
Grand Ledge High School
|
Grand Ledge
|
Mike Kaufman
|
|
Minnesota
|
Thomas Jefferson High School
|
Bloomington
|
Earl Benson
|
|
Mississippi
|
Meridian High School
|
Meridian
|
Tom Fraschillo
|
|
|
Philadelphia High School
|
Philadelphia
|
Victor Zajec
|
|
|
Starkville High School
|
Starkville
|
Kelly Love
|
|
New Mexico
|
Clovis High School
|
Clovis
|
Norville Howell
|
|
|
Las Cruces High School
|
Las Cruces
|
Gregg Randall
|
|
New York
|
Ithaca High School
|
Ithaca
|
Frank Battisti
|
|
|
Clarence High School
|
Clarence
|
Norbert Buskey
|
|
|
Oswego High School
|
Oswego
|
Edward Lisk
|
|
Ohio
|
Parma High School
|
Parma
|
Barbara Rankin
|
|
|
Findlay High School
|
Findlay
|
Clifford Hite
|
|
|
Warren G. Harding High School
|
Warren
|
Robert Fleming
|
|
Oklahoma
|
Sapulpa High School
|
Sapulpa
|
George Brite
|
|
Pennsylvania
|
North Hills High School
|
Pittsburgh
|
Warren Mercer
|
|
|
East Allegheny High School
|
Pittsburgh
|
John Thompson
|
|
Tennessee
|
Christian Brothers High School
|
Memphis
|
Ralph Hale
|
|
Texas
|
Alice High School
|
Alice
|
Bryce Taylor
|
|
|
Lake Highlands High School
|
Dallas
|
Eddie Green
|
|
|
Berkner High School
|
Richardson
|
Robert Floyd
|
|
|
J. J. Pearce High School
|
Richardson
|
Richard Floyd
|
|
|
Crockett High School
|
Austin
|
Paula Crider
|
|
|
McAllen High School
|
McAllen
|
Luther Snavely
|
|
|
Richardson High School
|
Richardson
|
Joe Frank; Scott Taylor
|
|
|
Permian High School
|
Odessa
|
J. R. McIntyre
|
|
Utah
|
Davis High School
|
Raysville
|
Gregg Hanson
|
|
Virginia
|
Fort Hunt High School
|
Alexandria
|
Frank Wickes
|
|
|
L. C. Norcom High School
|
Portsmouth
|
Emery Fears
|
|
Wisconsin
|
Mary D. Bradford High School
|
Kenosha
|
James O. Froseth
|
|
|
Oshkosh High School
|
Oshkosh
|
James Croft
|
|
|
Oconomowoc High School
|
Oconomowoc
|
A. J. Hoefer
|
|
|
River Valley High School
|
Spring Green
|
Lewis Schmidt
|
|
|
Marionette High School
|
Marionette
|
Paul Luhring
|
|
|
Beloit School District
|
Beloit
|
Donald Cuthbert
|
|
State
|
Name of Band
|
City
|
Director(s)
|
|
Alabama
|
Auburn High School
|
Auburn
|
Tommy Goff, 1987
|
|
Colorado
|
Wheatridge High School
|
Wheatridge
|
Larry Wallis, 1983
|
|
Florida
|
Buchholz High School
|
Gainesville
|
Paula Thornton, 2002
|
|
|
Lakeland High School
|
Lakeland
|
John Carmichael, 1986 Andrew Crew, 1993
|
|
|
Leon High School
|
Tallahassee
|
Timothy Paul, 2000
|
|
Georgia
|
Hardaway High School
|
Columbus
|
William Pharris, 1984
|
|
|
Harrison High School
|
Kennesaw
|
David Vanderwalker, 2006
|
|
|
Lassiter High School
|
Marietta
|
Alfred Watkins, 1988
|
|
|
Norcross High School
|
Norcross
|
William Pharris, 1996
|
|
|
Parkview High School
|
Lilburn
|
Allen Beach, 2005
|
|
Hawaii
|
Pearl City High Schooly
|
Pearl City
|
Michael Nakasone, 1991
|
|
Illinois
|
Glenbard East High School
|
Lombard
|
Ross Kellan, 1984
|
|
|
Marion Catholic High School
|
Chicago Heights
|
Greg Bimm, 1991
|
|
Indiana
|
Valparaiso High School
|
Valparaiso
|
Robert Miller, 1985
|
|
Iowa
|
Mason City High School
|
Mason City
|
Gilbert Lettow, 1988
|
|
Kentucky
|
North Hardin High School
|
Radcliff
|
Charles Campbell, 2003
|
|
Michigan
|
Grand Ledge High School
|
Grand Ledge
|
Michael Kaufman, 1985
|
|
Nebraska
|
Papallon-La Vista High School
|
Papallon
|
Glen Koca, 1983
|
|
Oklahoma
|
Owasso High School
|
Owasso
|
David Gorham, 1997
|
|
|
Westmoore High School
|
Oklahoma City
|
Allen Correll, 1997
|
|
Pennsylvania
|
North Hills High School
|
Pittsburgh
|
Warren Mercer, 1983
|
|
South Carolina
|
Irmo High School
|
Columbia
|
Bruce Dinkins, 1999
|
|
|
Sumter High School
|
Sumter
|
John Culvahouse, 1989
|
|
South Dakota
|
Stevens High School
|
Rapid City
|
Milo Winter, 1985
|
|
Tennessee
|
Dobyns-Bennett High School
|
Kingsport
|
Lafe Cook, 2004
|
|
Texas
|
Alice High School
|
Alice
|
Bryce Taylor, 1983
|
|
|
Bell High School
|
Hurst
|
Robert Winslow, 1983
|
|
|
Berkner High School
|
Richardson
|
Robert Floyd, 1984
|
|
|
Clear Lake High School
|
Houston
|
Richard Bass, 1985
|
|
|
Clements High School
|
Sugar Land
|
Larry Matysiak, 1994
|
|
|
Coronado High School
|
El Paso
|
Richard Lambrecht, 1989
|
|
|
Cypress Falls High School
|
Houston
|
Frank Troyka, 2005
|
|
|
Duncanville High School
|
Duncanville
|
Tom Shine, 1988
|
|
|
Friendswood High School
|
Friendswood
|
Gregory Babbitt, 1998
|
|
|
Georgetown High School
|
Georgetown
|
Robert Klett, 1983
|
|
|
Jack C. Hayes High School
|
Buda
|
Gerald Babbitt, 1998
|
|
|
J.J. Pearce High School
|
Richardson
|
Tom Bennett, 1986 Peter Warshaw, 2000
|
|
|
Kline Forest High School
|
Houston
|
Paul J. Worosello, 1997
|
|
|
Lake Highlands High School
|
Dallas
|
Malcolm Helm, 1987 Marion West, 2002
|
|
|
Langham Creek High School
|
Houston
|
Scott McAdow, 1997
|
|
|
L.V. Berkner High School
|
Richardson
|
Michael Brashear, 2004
|
|
|
Richardson High School
|
Richardson
|
Scott Taylor, 1983
|
|
|
Robert E. Lee High School
|
Midland
|
Randy Storie, 1991
|
|
|
Spring High School
|
Spring
|
Bill Watson, 1995
|
|
|
The Colony High School
|
The Colony
|
Dick Clardy, 1994
|
|
|
The Woodlands High School
|
The Woodlands
|
Brett Johnson, 2003
|
|
|
Westfield High School
|
Houston
|
Philip Geiger, 1994
|
|
|
Westlake High School
|
Austin
|
Kerry Taylor, 1998
|
|
Virginia
|
George Marshall High School
|
Fairfax
|
Denton Stokes, 1993
|
|
|
Herndon High School
|
Herndon
|
Richard Bergman, 1990
|
|
|
James Madison High School
|
Vienna
|
Carl J. Bianchi, 1989
|
|
|
J. Robinson High School
|
Fairfax
|
Gary Markham, 1992
|
|
|
Lake Braddock High School
|
Burke
|
Roy C. Holder, 1994
|
|
|
McLean High School
|
McLean
|
T. Kirchenbauer, 2000
|
|
|
South Lakes High School
|
Reston
|
Brad Draeger, 1985
|
|
|
Woodson High School
|
Fairfax
|
John Casagrande, 1995
|
|
Wisconsin
|
Oconomowoc High School
|
Oconomowoc
|
A.F. Hoefer, 1984
|
1920-1960
Dr. Dale C. Harris, Chairman (d.) | Castro Valley, CA
|
Dr. Milburn Carey Enid, OK
|
Dr. Jack Mahan Arlington, TX
|
Mr. David Reul Oconomowoc, WI
|
|
Prof. Robert Dean Waterloo, IA
|
Dr. Carl McMath Spartanburg, SC
|
Dr. William D. Revelli Ann Arbor, MI
|
|
Mr. Paul Enix Midwest City, OK
|
Prof. Hugh McMillen Boulder, CO
|
Mr. Lynn Sams Napa, CA
|
|
Dr. Mark Hindsley Urbana, IL
|
Prof. John Paynter Glenview, IL
|
Mr. Randall Spicer Pullman, WA
|
|
Dr. Mark Kelly Bowling Green, OH
|
Prof. Frank Piersol McAllen, TX
|
Mr. Robert Work Oxford, MS
|
|
Dr. John Long Troy, AL
|
Mr. Emil Puffenberger Canal Fulton, OH
|
Dr. Paul Yoder Hendersonville, NC
|
1960-1980
Dr. Victor W. Zajec, Chairman (d.) | Homewood, IL
|
Dr. Harry Begian Hubbard Lake, MI
|
Dr. Perry Dennis Hattiesburg, MS
|
Dr. Troy Long Troy, AL
|
|
Mr. Raymond Brandon North Little Rock, AR
|
Prof. Emery Fears Chesapeake, VA
|
Prof. Hugh McMillen Boulder, CO
|
|
Mr. Andrew Crew Tallahassee, FL
|
Dr. Ralph Hale Memphis, TN
|
Dr. Stanley Michalski Charlotte, NC
|
|
Prof. James Copenhaver Columbia, SC
|
Prof. James Jorgenson Redlands, CA
|
Dr. William D. Revelli Ann Arbor, MI
|
|
Mr. Richard Crain Houston, TX
|
Dr. Mark Kelly Bowling Green, OH
|
Dr. Lewis Schmidt Elkhart Lake, WI
|
|
Prof. Max Dalby Salt Lake City, UT
|
Mr. Edward Lisk Oswego, NY
|
Prof. John Williamson Mt. Pleasant, MI
|
1980-2007
Mrs. Gladys Stone Wright | West Lafayette, IN
|
Mr. Gerald Babbitt Buda, TX
|
Dr. John Carmichael Bowling Green, KY
|
Mr. Gregory Dick Friendswood, TX
|
Mr. T. Kirschenbauer McLean, VA
|
Ms. Paula Thornton, ret. Gainesville, FL
|
|
Mr. Richard Bergman Herndon, VA
|
Mr. John Casagrande, ret. Fairfax, VA
|
Mr. Bruce Dinkins Austin, TX
|
Mr. Scott McAdow Houston, TX
|
Mr. David Vanderwalker Kennesaw, GA
|
|
Mr. Carl J. Bianchi, ret. Vienna, VA
|
Mr. Lafe Cook Kingsport, TN
|
Mr. David Gorham Owasso, OK
|
Mr. Michael Nakasone Honolulu, HI
|
Mr. Larry Wallace, ret. Wheatridge, CO
|
|
Mr. Greg Bimm Chicago Heights, IL
|
Dr. Susan Creasap Morehead, KY
|
Mr. Brett Johnson The Woodlands, TX
|
Mr. Denton Stokes Fairfax, VA
|
Mr. Alfred Watkins Marietta, GA
|
|
Mr. Roy Holder Springfield, VA
|
Dr. John Culvahouse Kennesaw, GA
|
Mr. Michael Kaufman Grand Ledge, MI
|
Mr. Kerry Taylor Austin, TX
|
Mr. Milo Winter Rapid City, SD
|
2007- Present
|
Member
|
Workplace
|
City
|
|
Mr. Larry Doran
|
Midlothian HS
|
Midlothian, TX
|
|
Mr. Lafe Cook
|
Dobyns-Bennett HS
|
Kingsport, TN
|
|
Mr. James Kirchenbauer
|
McLean HS (Ret)
|
McLean, VA
|
|
Mr. Evilio Villarreal
|
Plano East HS
|
Plano, TX
|
|
Mr. Brian Covey
|
Lockport HS
|
Lockport, IL
|
|
Mr. Andy Sealy
|
Hebron HS
|
Carrollton, TX
|
|
Melinda McKenzie-Hall
|
W.T. Woodson HS
|
Fairfax, VA
|
|
Dr. John Culvahouse
|
Kennesaw State University
|
Kennesaw, GA
|
|
Mr. Scott Rush
|
Wando HS
|
Mt. Pleasant, SC
|
|
Mr. Greg Bimm
|
Marian Catholic HS
|
Chicago Heights, IL
|
|
Mr. David Gorham
|
Owasso HS (Ret)
|
Owasso, OK
|
|
Mr. Denton Stokes
|
James Robinson HS (Ret)
|
Fairfax, VA
|
|
Dr. John Carmichael
|
University of South Florida
|
Tampa, FL
|
|
Mr. Scott Coulson
|
Poteet HS
|
Mesquite, TX
|
|
Dr. David Vandewalker
|
Georgia State University
|
Atlanta, GA
|
|
Mr. Scott Casagrande
|
John Hersey HS
|
Arlington Heights, VA
|
|
Mr. Mike Luley
|
Lake Braddock Secondary School
|
Burke, VA
|
|
Mr. Gregory Dick
|
Friendswood HS
|
Friendswood, TX
|
|
Mike Howard
|
Vandergrift HS
|
Austin, TX
|
|
Mr. Chris Weise
|
McLean HS
|
McLean, VA
|
|
Mr. Michael Hackbarth
|
James Madison HS
|
Vienna, VA
|
|
Kerry Taylor
|
Westlake HS
|
Austin, TX
|
|
Kevin Knight
|
Crosby HS
|
Crosby, TX
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Kentaro Hino
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Hikarigaika Girls School
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Okazaki, Japan
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