Music for All announces four industry leaders to be inducted to the Bands of America Hall of Fame on March 17, 2018 at the Music for All National Festival
Music for All is pleased to announce the election of four 2018 inductees into its Bands of America Hall of Fame. The Class of 2018 will include Kevin Ford, Director of the Leadership Conservatory for the Arts at Tarpon Springs High School (Florida); Randy Greenwell and Matt James, long-time Co-Directors of Bands at Lawrence Central High School (Indiana); and Dean Westman, Performing Arts Department Chair and Orchestra Director at Avon High School (Indiana).
Music for All’s Bands of America Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made a significant impact on Bands of America, music education, and America’s band activity; exemplify impeccable character, ethics and professionalism; and are role models for music education professionals.
Kevin Ford is the founder and Director of the Leadership Conservatory for the Arts at Tarpon Springs High School. As Director of Bands for over two decades, he oversees the Wind Ensemble and Marching Band, which won the Bands of America Grand National Championships in 2014 and has also participated in the Music for All National Concert Band Festival in 2001. In addition to coaching and supervising all Conservatory performance ensembles, he develops the curriculum for the Conservatory Student Leadership Courses. A nationally-recognized show designer, Mr. Ford has designed for BLAST Japan and was the Artistic Designer for the FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremonies in South Korea. He was the 2015 NAfME National Band Director of the Year, the 2014 Pinellas County Educator of the year, and the Florida Department of Education 2015 Teacher of the Year State finalist. He is the co-founder of the Inspire…Music and Entertainment Production Company. A graduate of the University of Florida, he is a Yamaha Master Educator and is a frequent leadership speaker, guest clinician, and adjudicator nationwide.
Randy Greenwell is the retired Director of Bands/Performing Arts Department Chair at Lawrence Central High School, and now, Educational Support Manager for Conn-Selmer. While at Lawrence, his bands (working in tandem with inductee Matt James) earned national honors, with the marching band winning the Bands of America Grand National Championships in 2001 and 2004. Mr. Greenwell graduated with high honors from Illinois State University, holds a Masters in Wind Conducting from Ball State University, and has taught at both the middle school and high school levels in Indiana. He is an active clinician at national and state conferences, and a music arranger for many leading marching bands. In addition to his numerous awards for distinguished service and teaching, Mayor Bart Peterson named Mr. Greenwell a Distinguished Citizen of Indianapolis.
Matt James is Director of Performing Arts, Director of Bands, and the Performing Arts Department Chair at Lawrence Central High School where he has taught the past 25 years. Under his baton, the Lawrence Central Wind Ensemble has won five state concert band championships, has appeared twice at the Music for All National Festival, and several times at the Indiana Music Educators conference. He is an award-winning drill designer for high schools and drum corps. His designs have received numerous honors, including two Bands of America Grand National Championships (2001 and 2004), one Fiesta Bowl championship, four state championships, several Bands of America Regional Championships, 17 appearances at the Bands of America Grand National Finals with Lawrence Central, and over a dozen state championships with other high school marching bands from around the Midwest. As a euphonium student of Leonard Falcone, he earned his bachelor’s degree in music education from Michigan State University, as well as a master’s in conducting from Butler University where he studied with Stanley DeRusha. James actively serves as a clinician and adjudicator, and has taught band, orchestra and other music classes at the middle school, high school, and collegiate levels in Indiana, Florida, and Michigan.
Dean Westman is Performing Arts Department Chair and Director of Orchestras at Avon High School in Avon, Indiana. In the 11 years since Mr. Westman founded the program, the Avon Orchestras have performed at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, and will perform in Italy and Austria this June. The Avon Symphony Orchestra was the 2017 Indiana State School Music Association State Runner-up. Mr. Westman serves on the design team for the three-time Bands of America Grand National Champion and 13-time Indiana State Champion Avon Marching Black & Gold. Prior to his work in Avon, Mr. Westman served as Educational Director for Bands of America and Music for All, as well as serving as Director of Bands of the four-time BOA Grand National Finalists Stephen F. Austin High School from Sugar Land, Texas. Mr. Westman is an Educational Consultant for Music for All. He is Program Coordinator for the 2016 DCI World Champion Bluecoats, and an alumnus of the University of Illinois.
“The members of the 2018 Bands of America Hall of Fame induction class we present to the nation exemplify and epitomize what it means to be a scholastic music educator,” said Eric L. Martin, President and CEO of Music for All. “They represent the very best in education and continue to inspire new generations of teachers. Their involvement in Bands of America, and their leadership in music education and the performing arts has helped make Music for All and Bands of America the extraordinary organization and program they are today.”
These newest members will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday, March 17, 2018, during the Music for All National Festival, presented by Yamaha. They will be permanently recognized in the Bands of America Hall of Fame at Music for All’s Indianapolis headquarters, alongside Hall of Fame members inducted since the first class of inductees in 2003.
