Contact: Todd Cohen, University Relations, (785) 864-8858 or email tcohen@ku.edu.
LAWRENCE - The director of the KU Marching Band, Robert Foster, will officially pass the baton to the new director, Timothy W. Oliver, preceding the band's first performance Saturday, Sept. 16.
Oliver, a Missouri native, recently finished his doctoral work at Florida State University. He joined the KU Band staff in July as assistant director of bands, and is only the sixth director of the KU Marching Band in its more than 100-year history.
Foster became director of bands at KU in 1971. Under his leadership, the marching band grew from 120 members to more than 250. In October 1989, the band was recognized as one of the nation's most outstanding collegiate marching bands when it became the eighth band to win the Sudler Trophy.
In addition to the marching band, the band program grew to include three concert bands, three jazz ensembles and two basketball bands, plus pep bands and jazz combos-with a combined enrollment of more than 600 students.
Each facet of the band department has received critical acclaim. The KU Symphonic Band is recognized as one of the premier university bands in the nation, with nationally distributed recordings and live appearances at state, regional and national conventions and music conferences. The jazz program, which is now under the leadership of Dan Gailey, is recognized as one of the top programs in the nation.
Foster will continue as director of bands and as conductor of the symphonic band. He is assisted by Thomas Stidham, associate director.