September 14, 2001

Contact: Vickie Hamilton-Smith, KU School of Fine Arts, 785-864-9742

Longtime KU director of bands to end 30-year tenure; national search planned

LAWRENCE Ð Robert Foster, long-time director of bands at the University of Kansas, plans to assume a classroom teaching position within the Department of Music and Dance at the end of the 2001-2002 academic year.

"Bob has made a wonderful contribution to the university, to the music program and to the band program," said Department Chair Lawrence Mallett. "We look forward to Bob's continued contributions in other responsibilities within the music department."

A search committee will be announced shortly to conduct a national search for the position of KU director of bands.

In his 30 years, Foster has participated in 30 commencements, 31 opening convocations, hundreds of concerts, and more than 150 halftime shows. He has worked with four Fine Arts deans, four Music and Dance department chairs, as well as seven chancellors, seven athletic directors, and seven head football coaches.

"My belief has always been that outside of athletics there's nothing more visible than the band and it is important for the band to be good and to be respected for its quality and class," Foster said. "If my bands are to be remembered for anything, I hope it is for quality and class."

The quality of the KU Marching Jayhawks was recognized in 1989, when the band became the seventh to receive the prestigious Sudler Award. Created to recognize college marching bands, recipients are chosen from among peer directors. National recognition of KU Bands continues as the KU Symphonic Band will perform in March at the 2002 national convention of the American Bandmasters Association in Wichita.

Bands under Foster's direction have also performed at the national conventions of the American Bandmasters Association, the College Band Directors National Association and the Music Education National Conference.

One of the keys to the success of the KU bands, according to Foster, stems from consistent leadership over the years. He noted that in the 100-year plus history of KU Bands, there have been only four directors other than himself: J.C. McCanless, who served 33 years; Russell L. Wiley, who served 37 years; Kenneth Bloomquist, who served three years; and George Boberg, who served one interim year.

Under Foster's leadership the KU Bands have experienced unprecedented growth and success. After beginning the position in 1971, Foster grew the marching band from 140 to 268 members. He added the University Band and Symphonic Wind Ensemble over the years to accommodate players. In 1972 Foster started an academic jazz program, which has grown to its current structure. At the end of last semester, there were 11 bands with more than 600 students participating.

A well-known composer and author, Foster is a past president off the American Bandmasters Association, the National Band Association, the Southwestern Division of College Band Directors National Association, and he continues to serve on executive boards for the first two associations. He presently is president of the Big 12 Conference Band Directors Association and is active on the executive committee of the John Philip Sousa Foundation. Foster also is a member of Phi Beta Mu, Phi Mu Alpha, and an honorary member and former district governor of Kappa Kappa Psi/Tau Beta Sigma. Last spring, he was appointed to the board of directors of the Association of Concert Bands, the national organization for adult and community bands.

In 1983, Foster was selected one of the top 10 music educators in the nation by The School Musician magazine, and, in 1988, he was selected as the Outstanding Band Director by the Kansas Bandmasters Association and Phi Beta Mu. Foster previously served as associate director of bands at the University of Florida following successful teaching experiences in the public schools of Austin and Houston, Texas.

In April 2000, Foster was presented the Distinguished Service to Music Medal by Kappa Kappa Psi, a national award honoring his "extraordinary accomplishments" to bands and band music.