Embedded Files
Dr. John Carmichael
Director of Bands
In the spring of 2007, the search committee selected Dr. John C. Carmichael as USF’s next Director of Bands. Dr. Carmichael came to USF from a similar position at Western Kentucky University. In the spring of 2008, Dr. Robinson was offered and accepted a position at the University of Georgia; he is currently still teaching there. John Schnettler was appointed Interim Associate Director of Bands; Director of Athletic Bands for the 2008 academic year; USF would again conduct a search to fill this position.
Under his direction the HOT band hosted the first annual “HOT Day” which brings hundreds of high school students to join the Herd of Thunder in a halftime performance. Schnettler also organized the first HOT Alumni Band to perform with the Herd during pre-game on Homecoming. That year the HOT Band finished their season performing at the St. Petersburg Bowl at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL.
In the fall of 2009, Dr. Matthew G. McCutchen arrived after a successful search, as the Associate Director of Bands; Director of Athletic Bands. Under his direction, HOT Band saw its largest growth in membership (370 at largest). and achieved a higher standard of musical performance. This period also saw the third and current iteration of the HOT Band uniform making its debut. In addition to increasing the size and quality of HOT Band, Dr. McCutchen led the marching band in making two appearances on the international stage. The first occurred in 2013 to London, England to perform in the London New Year Day Parade; the other in 2016 for the New Year’s Parade in Rome, Italy.
Dr. Matthew McCutchen
3rd Director of Athletic Bands
The beginning of the 2010's brought about two important events for the band program. The first event was the opening of the brand new School of Music in a state-of-the-art-facility located northwest of the Fine Arts building. In 2010 the second important event that occurred; the band performed at the CBDNA/NBA Southern Division Conference in at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in Oxford, MS. Under Dr. Carmichael's direction the Wind Ensemble had resumed performing at major festivals and conventions. Three years later, USF hosted the American Bandmasters Association National Convention where the Wind Ensemble performed in our very own concert hall.
Bryan Braue
Assistant Director of Bands;
Assistant Director of Athletic Bands
In 2013, Bryan Braue was hired as the Assistant Director of Bands; Assistant Director of Athletic Bands. He was the first to hold this title and the first Assistant Director to be hired as a School of Music faculty member. That same year would also mark the release of the Wind Ensemble's first live album, "At Long Last... Live!", distributed by Mark Records. In March 2014, the Wind Ensemble performed as the exhibition ensemble at the 12th annual New York Wind Band Festival at Carnegie Hall in New York City. This performance would include the world premiere of Baljinder Sekhon's "Double Percussion Concerto", featuring USF's own Professor of Percussion, Robert McCormick, and University of Maryland, College Park's Instructor of Percussion, Dr. Lee Hinkle.
USF Wind Ensemble on stage at Carnegie Hall - 2014
2015 saw the release of the Wind Ensemble's second album on Mark Records, "Live... Again!", featuring the Wind Ensemble's performance at Carnegie Hall and other "greatest hits" including the third movement of the Dahl Saxophone Concerto, featuring Dr. Carmichael's son, Matthew Carmichael as soloist. In 2016, the Wind Ensemble performed at the CBDNA Southern Division conference in Charleston, South Carolina. Dr. Carmichael would remain Director of Bands until his retirement, after the completion of his 11th year at USF, in the spring of 2018; making him the second longest serving USF Director of Bands by one year, passed only by Dr. Gale Sperry, the first Director of Bands. It is of note that Dr. Carmichael was also the first and only Director of Bands to retire at USF from the position.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse