On September 16, 2010, the music community lost one of its great educators. George Parks received a B.S. from West Chester University where he served as drum major of the Golden Rams marching band and an M.M. from Northwestern University. He served as the Director of the Minuteman Marching Band “The Power and Class of New England” since 1977; a position he took up at the age of 24. Professor Parks’ bands have performed in two Presidential Inaugural Ceremonies, and at the New York Giants and New England Patriots Football Games. Under Parks’ direction, the Minuteman Marching Band won the Sudler Trophy for tradition of excellence in marching band in 1998.

Professor Parks was a former instructor and Drum Major for the DCA World Champion Reading Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps, and was awarded Outstanding Drum Major at eight DCA World Championships. He was the founder of the George N. Parks Drum Major Academy, and the co-founder of the Band Leadership Training seminars.

Recognized throughout the world, Parks has received numerous awards including: the University of Massachusetts Amherst Distinguished Teaching Award in 1989, named the Massachusetts Instrumental Conductors Association Conductor of the Year in 1991, inducted into the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame (1993), University of Massachusetts Chancellor’s Medal for Distinguished Service, inducted into the Bands of America Hall of Fame (2006) and the Kappa Kappa Psi Distinguished Service to Music Medal (2008). A tireless fund-raiser, Parks was the driving force behind the $5.7 million Minuteman Marching Band Building that is currently under construction. The new building is to be named in his honor.

When asked “What is the Power and Class of New England?” Parks replied, “It’s about standing for something that counts. It’s about building a group that is first and foremost, musical. It’s about teaching a group of men and women leadership.” It was this vision of his role in music education and the success of his students that is Professor Parks’ legacy.

We are sad to report the death on August 28, 2010 of Dr. William P. Foster. Dr. Foster served as the director the Florida A&M Marching 100 from 1946 to 1998. During his tenure, Foster is credited with revolutionizing marching band techniques to showcase band pageantry; many of which have become standard techniques for high school and college bands. When Dr. Foster became Director of Bands at FAMU in 1946, the marching band consisted of 16 members. By 1950, the band boasted a membership of 100, and the Marching 100 was born. Under his direction, the Marching 100 made numerous television appearances and gained international acclaim.

At age 12, Foster began playing clarinet, and while in High School was appointed student director of the Sumner High School Orchestra in Kansas City, Kansas. He received his Bachelor of Music Education in 1941 from the University of Kansas, a Master of Arts in Music from Wayne State University in 1950, a Doctor of Education degree with a major in Music from Teachers College, Columbia University in 1955, and the honorary Doctor of Human Letters degree in 1998 from Florida A&M University. While attending Teachers College, Columbia University, Dr. Foster was a fellow of the Rosenwald General Education Board.

Dr. Foster has been inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame, the National Association for Distinguished Band Conductors Hall of Fame, the Florida Music Educators Association Hall of Fame and the Afro-American Hall of Fame. He has also served as national presidents of the American Bandmasters Association (ABA), the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) and was appointed to the National Council on the Arts by former President Bill Clinton. CBDNA awarded Dr. Foster the CBDNA Lifetime Achievement award in December of 2009. In January 1973, he was awarded a Kappa Kappa Psi Distinguished Service to Music Medal in the field of Marching Band.

Brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi:

We recently learned of the death on March 27, 2009 of Kappa Kappa Psi Past National President Jay Leon Slaughter, 84 of Idaho Falls, Idaho. Dr. Slaughter’s wife writes, “When we made the trip to the Norfolk convention (2003), he wasn’t well then, but he loved every minute of it visiting with the students.”

Dr. Slaughter served as National President from 1965-1967 at the 24th Biennial Convention held on the Texas Christian University campus in Fort Worth. Gunther Schuller presented his new composition for band, Study in Textures, and Keith Wilson and Sigurd Rascher appeared on the National Intercollegiate Band program with him as guest artists. Throughout his tenure, the Fraternity enjoyed a steady growth and an unprecedented acceptance in the professional and fraternal worlds of Music and Music Education.

He received a bachelor’s degree from Idaho State University, a master’s degree from the University of Utah and a doctorate from Indiana University in Music Education. He taught music at Ricks College for 18 years and then was in public relations for 18 years. He was awarded for outstanding musicianship at Idaho State University. At Ricks College, he received an appreciation award for the hall of fame board for his service. In 2002 he was awarded the Eliza R. Snow award.

If you would like to send a note of condolence the address is: Slaughter Family, 1400 Flacon Drive, Ammon, Idaho 83406

Kappa Kappa Psi mourns the loss of Dr. Harry Begian.

Dr. Begian was an honorary member of of the Zeta Epsilon Chapter and also served as the conductor of the National Intercollegiate Band during the 1987 National Convention in Ann Arbor, MI.

His biography is provided below:

Dr. Harry Begian served as Director of Bands at University of Illinois from 1970 until his retirement in 1984. He began his reputation as an outstanding conductor/teacher at Detroit’s Cass Technical High School, where he developed one of the finest high school bands in the country. He then served as Director of Bands at Wayne State University and Director of Bands at Michigan State University before going to University of Illinois.

Dr. Begian’s musical training was in the public schools of Michigan, where he studied trumpet with Leonard Smith and flute with Larry Teal. He received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Wayne State University in Detroit, and earned his doctorate at University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

A charter member of American School Band Directors Association, he was also Past-President of American Bandmasters Association, College Band Directors National Association, Omicron Delta Kappa, and an honorary member of Phi Beta Mu and Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association. His professional affiliations included memberships in Phi Mu Alpha and Phi Delta Kappa, and honorary memberships in Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma.

Dr. Begian was a recipient of the NBA Citation of Excellence, ASBDA Edwin Franko Goldman Award, Notre Dame St. Cecelia Award, Grainger Medallion, was elected to the Academy of Wind and Percussion Arts, and was enshrined in the Hall of Fame of Distinguished Band Conductors. His more than 60 recorded performances with the University of Illinois Symphonic Bands comprise one of the largest and finest collections of recorded band performances in existence.

Dr. Begian passed away July 26, 2010

The 2010 Kappa Kappa Psi/ Tau Beta Sigma District Leadership Conference will begin on July 23-25 in Memphis, TN. This is a three day intense leadership training activity for district presidents and governors. Adam Cantley, National Vice President for Colonization and Membership will facilitate these meetings.

The Kappa Kappa Psi National Council is having its quarterly business meetings July 21-23.

Congratulations to National Headquarters Accountant and Office Manager Di Spiva who celebrates 10 years of service to Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma. Send well wishes to Di at [email protected]

Brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi

With the MWD Convention wrapping up yesterday, the 2010 Convention season has ended. Thank you all for attending your district conventions this year. We encourage you to fill out your district convention specific survey at your earliest convenience so we all can continue to improve program every year. If I did not get a chance to meet you directly, I hope we get a chance next year.

AEA,

Derrick Mills
Kappa Kappa Psi
National President

The National Councils of Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma have adopted an addendum to the Hazing/Risk Management Policy dealing with the subject of branding/scarification.

June 1 marks the deadline for the DSMM, J. Lee Burke Student Achievement Award, and the AEA scholarship.  Other awards do not have an official deadline, but are recommended to be submitted prior to the National Council meeting in late January.  Those awards are the A. Frank Martin Award, the Bohumil Makovsky  Award, the Chapter Leadership Award, and the Silver Baton.  Also, some academic awards are due at the end of terms.  Go to the National Programs heading and click on “Fraternity Awards” for more details and application procedures!