John Hendricks has been named the new director of bands at West Virginia University, the College of Creative Arts announced today (June 14). Hendricks has been WVU s assistant director of bands for the past 12 years, and director of the Mountaineer Marching Band since 1998.

DearlJayDrury has been appointed assistant director of bands and will become the 11 th director of the 340-memberPride of West Virginia.Hendricks succeeds Don Wilcox, who served as WVU director of bands for 34 years before retiring at the end of the 2004-05 academic year.

Over the many years that I have worked with John Hendricks, I have become more and more impressed with his musicianship and ability as a leader and administrator,said Dave Bess, chairman of the CCA s Division of Music. He has all of the necessary skills to carry the WVU band program forward.

Jay Drury and John have demonstrated over the past three years that they are a very effective team,Bess added.Clearly, all of the WVU bands, including the Mountaineer Marching Band, are in capable and caring hands.

In addition to directing the band program, Hendricks will conduct the Universitys Wind Symphony and Concert Band, teach undergraduate and graduate conducting courses, and oversee undergraduate academic advising for the Division of Music.

His past duties at WVU also include directing the WVU Pep Band and instructing several music education courses. He served as assistant chair of the Division of Music, coordinator of Mountaineer Music Camp and conductor of the Studio Orchestra.

Prior to his appointments at WVU , Hendricks was the assistant director of bands at Rutgers University and served for five years as the band director at Spencer High School.

In 2003, Hendricks was selected as theWest Virginia Band Director of the Yearby the Tau Chapter of Phi Beta Mu, the international bandmasters fraternity. He is a highly sought arranger for university and high school bands, as well as a coordinator for various events and conferences.

A native of Shepherdstown and a graduate of Jefferson High School, Hendricks has had a long affiliation with the WVU band program. He received his masters degree in conducting and his bachelors degree in music education from WVU . While working toward his masters degree, he was actively involved with the WVU bands as a graduate assistant. He is also a past drum major for the WVU Marching Band.

In addition to his current teaching duties, Hendricks is active as a guest conductor, adjudicator and clinician throughout the eastern United States. He is a member of several professional music affiliations, including the College Band Directors National

Association, the National Band Association, the Music Educators National Conference and Phi Beta Mu.He is currently state chair for the College Band Directors National Association, treasurer for the WVU Music Alumni Association and co-adviser for the Omicron Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi. He also served several years as the public relations chair for the West Virginia Music Educators Association. He is an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi, the Golden Key National Honor Society and the WVU Mountain Honorary.

In addition to directing the WVU Marching Band, Drurys responsibilities include directing the WVU Pep Band and serving as the assistant conductor of the WVU Wind Symphony and the WVU Concert Band. He also teaches undergraduate conducting courses, advises music education students, coordinates ticketed events and concerts in the Division of Music, assists with student teacher observation and assists with other music education courses.

Prior to this appointment, Drury served for three years as the assistant director of the WVU Marching Band and director of the WVU Pep Band. His duties included assisting in all aspects of the band program, as well as with many aspects of the conducting and music education programs at WVU . Drury has also served as the Jazz Ensemble director at Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi.

He earned both bachelors and masters degrees in music education (conducting emphasis) from WVU , where he is currently pursuing a doctorate of musical arts in performance conducting. During his graduate study, he worked as a graduate teaching assistant for four years with the WVU bands.

Before returning to WVU in 1998, Drury was a high school and elementary band director in Hancock and Brooke counties, teaching at Oak Glen and Brooke High schools.

In addition to his University duties, Drury is active as an adjudicator, guest speaker and guest conductor for both high school and middle school groups. He has participated in research presentations at the West Virginia and Pennsylvania State Music EducatorsConferences, and he recently led a panel discussion at the National Collegiate Marching and Athletic Band Symposium at The Ohio State University.

He is a member of the College Band Directors National Association and the Music Educators National Conference, as well as an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and WVU Mountain Honorary.