A University search committee selected William E. Pease last week to head the University's efforts in developing a new marching band for next fall's football season.
The committee selected Pease, current associate director of bands at Western Michigan University, from more than 30 applicants for the new position, made possible by a $1.5 million gift last spring from longtime University benefactors Carl and Hunter Smith.
He formerly will begin his tenure at the University on Nov. 25.
"I think he's a proven leader and innovator in marching bands, and as well a talented educator in the music field generally," said Craig Littlepage, University athletic director and search committee member.
Music Dept. Chair Elizabeth Hudson and four other music department faculty rounded out the search committee.
Littlepage praised Pease's ability to bring in celebrities to perform at sporting events with his marching band and his close relationship with football officials at Western Michigan.
Pease received his masters degree in wind conducting from James Madison University and currently is working toward a doctoral degree from Michigan State University.
He also is a native Virginian who has directed Virginia Beach's award-winning Kempsville High School marching band before directing the Western Michigan band for the last six years.
"He's got charisma -- he's a people person -- the kids will love him," said Patrick Rooney, the JMU marching band director and one of Pease's former professors.
Hudson said Pease demonstrated significant knowledge of the administrative structure of marching bands, the coordination of student leadership and familiarity with a variety of musical genres.
Pease said he is very excited about working for the University, citing its combined excellence in academics and athletics.
"I have a lot of respect for the University, especially being someone from Virginia," he said. "To me it's one of the best universities in the country and to be able to work with those kinds of students and faculty members is very exciting."
Setting up the new marching band will first require organizing the enormous amount of talent present, Pease said.
"There's a lot of talent on campus -- more than anything I'm just [going to] try and get that organized and guide that in the right direction," he said. "I don't think I [have to] go out and reinvent the wheel. I'm [going to] be around some smart and intelligent folks."
Pease said student leadership will play a crucial role in the marching band's leadership structure.
"The student leadership is so important because they have an idea of what other students like to hear," he said. "They have a feel of 'wow, the crowd goes wild when we do this.'"
Pease said he hopes to have a small basketball band in place for the spring semester and would like to hold a recruitment meeting with interested students when he first visits Grounds in late September.
Pease's music colleagues at Western Michigan unilaterally praised his service to their school.
"I think probably his greatest asset is his unbridled enthusiasm for the marching band," Western Michigan Director of Bands Robert Spradling said. "He just is selfless in the amount of time that he puts in to make the whole program work."
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