Texas Tech University - La Ventana Yearbook (Lubbock, TX)

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CHOIRS AT TECH 1 18

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« DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC Music is stressed at Tech and rightly so because of the excellent teachers and band and choir directors. Every type of musicianship from elementary school teaching to orchestral and choral director is taught in the music department, which is well known over the state and the Southwest. This department has been a member of the selective National Association of Schools of Music since 1959 and is headed by Dr. Gene L. Hemmle. A knowledge of music is an essential ingredient in every cultured, well-rounded person and this education is the department ' s primary aim. Gene Hemmle Department Head iht- Mi kid K.1ks iftt ■fc Dean Killion Director of Bands Paul Ellsworth Director Tech Symphony Gene Kenney Director of Choirs Robert Humiston Double Reeds Instructor Keith McCarty Woodwind Instructor Richard Tolley Bniss Instructor 17

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n Ma [ORi-f f ks by TOMMY SEAY The man across the desk from this writer on that cold, wintry day last February was, evidently, a man of action. And in the four years since he came to Tech, he has managed to come up with some marvelous results. He is a quick moving person who walks and talks as if each step and word were the last one, and he can be found al- most any day during the fall on the drill field just south of the Music Bldg. shouting orders and words of encourage- ment. Step it up there! Pull that line up a little! Step high! Come on, gang! Let ' s be proud! This man is Marlin Dean Killion, as- sociate professor of music and director of the Red Raider Marching Band. The Going Band from Raiderland, the tag given to the band by Adrian Vaughn, director of public information, saw its dreams come true when it was invited to march in the inaugural parade for Governor John Connally in January. The trip to Austin climaxed a series of events headed by Dr. Gene Hemmle, head of the music department and a per- sonal friend of Connally. Dr. Hemmle felt that it would be appropriate for Tech to represent the South Plains area since two of the newly elected state officials were from Lubbock; Preston Smith, Lt. Governor: and Waggoner Carr, Attorney General. The band re- ceived several letters of appreciation from local and state politicians for its per- formance in the parade. Prior to the trip to Austin, the band had traveled to Fort Worth and Houston for the annual football clashes between Texas Tech— TCU and Tech— Rice. Kil- lion described the reception by the fans TECH ' S BIG RED at these two games as sorta fantastic. What made it sorta fantastic? It was probably the quick stepping movements of a well-coordinated group, plus a stereophonic sound which the band has become renowned for. Or it might have been the size of a colorfully dressed band that made the fans ' eyes light up. Since Killion came to Tech, the band has grown from 1 20 members to its present 250. The band wasn ' t finished with its going after the trip to Austin. , The members stayed around awhile during the spring vacation and went on their annual spring tour. This year they trav- eled through the Panhandle, stopping for concerts at Amarillo, Hereford, Du- mas, Perrj ' ton, Borger, Phillips, and sev- eral other towns. Just in the past two years the band has discovered that the Tech student body has certain favorite songs it likes to hear. Grandioso has been a favorite and wild, rebellious cries can be heard when they play Dixie. With the end of the football cam- paign, the band split into several groups. The Court Jesters, in their bright red blazers, played for all the home bas- ketball games and for the indoor track meet in February. For the first time, the Tech Stage Band was di ' ided into two groups to accommodate the large number of band members interested in playing in the band. Killion directed the first group which played for many school and civic dances. The second group was directed by Larry Weed who works with the marching band. Drum majors for the band were Wells Teaguc and Marlin Linclsey. Carolyn Davis, Pam White, Cindy Parker, and Carole Brashear were the majorettes. • ' ) CONCERT BAND