Dance & Aux Forum

FAMU Larry Robinson, Interim President Names Dr. Sylvester Young as next band director

Press Release: Florida A& M University

What:          Florida A&M University (FAMU) will announce the new director of the Marching and Pep Bands.

When:  Tuesday, May 7 Noon

Where: H. Manning Efferson Student Union Grand Ballroom, Lobby

Participants for Press Conference:    

Solomon L. Badger III, Ed.D. Chair, Board of Trustees

Larry Robinson, Ph.D. Interim President

Rodner Wright Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

04/25/2013 8:00am - BRAD TV ENT. NEWS

Tallahassee, FL - There's great anticipation to find out who will be FAMU's next band director.    

It's been two weeks since the final two candidates started interviewing on campus.  But no decision has been made yet.

However, administrators say they are getting close.

"They should take as long as needed." Says FAMU student Chelsea Washington.

FAMU has been without a band director for almost a year.

Administrators were set to announce someone for the position in January, but, negotiations fell through.

The search committee re-initiated a nationwide search and narrowed the pool down to two final candidates:  Dr. Sylvester Young, who is retired from Ohio University, and Dekalb, Georgia School District Music Supervisor Don Roberts.

Administrators interviewed them on campus two weeks ago, and said at that time they expected to have mostly everything finalized the following week.

Washington says, "I feel like if they need to take as long as they need to, let them because the band director needs to be the Marching 100.  They need to know the history, the historical moment in what the Marching 100 really represents and what it means to FAMU."

FAMU student Patrick Gayle says, "I'm just ready for the band to come back."

Students agree the decision for a new band director should be made carefully, but they say they hope it's done in enough time to have the Marching 100 back in action by football season.

Gayle says, "I'm ready to be crunk at the games, ready to listen to some good music, go to the Classics, vibe at the Classics.  It brings more fans out.  That's where most of our money comes from.  It's just weird without the band."

University administrators say it's still down to the two final candidates.  However, they say negotiations are not underway yet.

As far as the big question of if there's any idea of when the band is returning, administrators say, "Not at this time.  We are continuing to work to make sure the conditions are right before a decision is made."

04/10/2013 19:00pm - BRAD TV ENT. NEWS 

Tallahassee, FL -  The final candidate for the new band director position at FAMU says he has no doubt  he's the person for the job. 

Don Roberts has a list of nearly two dozen goals for FAMU's Marching 100.  He presented it Wednesday during his interviews to try to become the new band director.

"I think I'm extremely qualified." He says.

His goals include:  making the Marching 100 a premiere program again, monitoring and improving the retention rate of band members, and improving student leadership.

Regaining trust of the community and nation is a top objective for Roberts.

Roberts says, "People need to see us in terms of trust, not just on the field, because that part is going to be easy, for me because I feel like we're going to have a quality program; no doubt about that.  But, off the field, that's where they have to see us.  They've got to see us in those schools, in the community, civic organizations."  

Music Department Chair Dr. Kawachi Clemons asked Roberts if he would follow tradition or do something new with the band.

Roberts said, "My goal from a show development is to give the audience the unexpected.  I don't want them to ever be able to predict what we're going to do.  I want them to run to halftime and say, what's going to happen this week, because we really don't know.  As opposed to, yep, they're getting ready to do drills right now.  Here comes that concert selection, here comes the dance routine.  That's what I want to take away and create innovative concepts."

Just as they did the day before with the first band director candidate, Dr. Sylvester Young, FAMU administrators asked Roberts about his past experience in the Marching 100.

"Were you hazed as a member of the Marching 100?  Yes, I was."

During his interviews Wednesday, Roberts told the university leadership team his plan to end hazing within the band.

He says as band director he would:  require band members to sign an anti-hazing agreement, require members to attend workshops every week, not allow the band members to sit on the bus by sections, and a band staff member or traveling officer would sit front, center, and rear on all band trips.

Roberts adds in regards to rehearsals, "Most of the hazing that takes place in the bands is typically when the band director is not around in that section rehearsal, or private meetings.  I would want all of my section rehearsals before band rehearsal starts so that it would be staff supervised."

Roberts brought 30 sketches of new uniforms for the Marching 100 for performance and travel.  He says uniforms for rehearsals could also help with ending hazing.

He says, "The reason for that is you don't have to worry about the paraphernalia that everybody's wearing  They wear that to rehearsal so that there's no focus on whatever your sectional name is... club name is."

Roberts says staff would be required to report any hazing incidents within 24 hours.

"I think it's all about accountability and that's what I would bring to the table and I would have a very strong stance in terms of anti-hazing." Says, Roberts.

Roberts is the Music Supervisor for the Dekalb County School District in Atlanta, Georgia. 

FAMU Trustees are expected to discuss both final candidates during tomorrow's board meeting.

04/10/2013 15:00pm - BRAD TV ENT. NEWS    

Tallahassee, FL - Just as the leadership team did with the first candidate yesterday, administrators asked Roberts was he hazed when he was a member of the FAMU Marching 100. He answered by saying 'yes'.

Roberts told administrators that he would take a strong stance against hazing if he were to become the new band director. He says he would require all band section rehearsals to be supervised by staff. He says he would also get rid of subgroup names in the band.

04/10/2013 10:52am - BRAD TV ENT. NEWS                 

( Mr. Roberts Interview 1)

Tallahassee, FL - The second of the two finalists to be FAMU's new band director has begun his day-long interviews.

Don Roberts is the music supervisor for the Dekalb County School District in Atlanta, Georgia.

Roberts lists 13 short term goals if he were to get the job. The top three are:

1. To once again make the FAMU Marching 100 one of the premier programs in America.

2. To regain the trust of the FAMU students, staff, administration, the City of Tallahassee, the State of Florida, and the nation as a band of high character and integrity.

3. To totally eradicate all forms of hazing, harassment and intimidation from the Florida A&M University Marching 100. Long term goals include to create supplemental budget for scholarships through in-house fundraising and corporate sponsorship.

Roberts presented 30 sketches of possible new uniforms for the Marching 100.

04/09/2013 19:20pm - BRAD TV ENT. NEWS

 The first of FAMU's final two candidates for band director spent the day trying to convince the university why he's right for the job.     

Eyewitness News was in today's interviews.

FAMU's Marching 100 is known for its music and its moves.

Dr. Kawachi Clemons, the FAMU Music Department Chair, asked, "Would you follow more of those traditional show development concepts or would you be looking to do something new?"

Dr. Sylvester Young says if he were to be selected as the new band director, the band might dance to a different tune--to a certain extent.

Young says, "You can't reinvent the wheel, but, you can make the wheel better.  People don't drive 1920 cars anymore.  So, that means you have to change with time.  You want to keep it fresh and you want to keep it ahead of the pack."

Young is one of two finalists for FAMU's new band director.

During his day-long interview sessions with different department heads Tuesday, he said he would also look at the size of the Marching 100.

Currently, there are more than 400 members.  He says his optimum size is between 256 and 320.

Young says academics are also a priority.  He says as band director at Ohio University, he required monitored study time for freshmen, he set an age limit for band members, as well as not allowing students to register for more than five semesters.

He says, "I found out that we had a lot of kids who would register for school only for the first semester, first quarter just to participate in the band.  Well, I eliminated that."

Because hazing is a topic of concern with the band, that was one of the main things administrators asked.

Young graduated from FAMU in 1968.  One of the first questions the leadership team asked during his interview Tuesday was:  "Were you hazed?" 

Young answered, Sadly to say, I was as a student."

He told his interviewees about hotel room assignments when the Marching 100 used to travel to Miami for the Orange Blossom Classic.

He says, "A typical upperclassman would put his name first and them he'll put three freshmen names on the list.  Then when we get to the hotel, they put us out.  That's hazing.  We slept in the hallways or whatever because they had their girl fiends.  But, then that was acceptable.  That was the way it was.  We wouldn't question that. 

An administrator asked after Young shared that story, "How would you handle it now?"  He answered, "That's totally unacceptable now."

Young says if he's selected as the new band director:  "The first thing that would have to take place with this band is that the culture of the band would have to change."

FAMU Head Coach Earl Holmes asked, "How would you assure parents that participation in the FAMU band or the pep band be a safe environment?"

Young answered by saying, "We got to talk across the table from those parents.  We just can't let them send their kids here based on hearsay.  We have to talk to those parents."

Administrators mentioned that the band director position would begin July 1st.  They still have not given a specific date as to when the Marching 100 would return.  Young says he would have the band ready by FAMU's first football game on September 1st.

Young retired from Ohio University two years ago.  He has also worked at Hampton University and Lincoln University.  He as 40 years of teaching experience.     

The second finalist, Don Roberts, was scheduled to sit down with the search committee at 6:00 tonight.  He will have a full day of interviews tomorrow as well.

04/09/2013 15:12pm - BRAD TV ENT. NEWS

The FAMU Athletics Department is participating in the interviews in full force. Several key leaders and administrators are participating in the interview, including the athletics director and Head Football Coach Earl Holmes.

Coach Holmes asked Young how would he convince parents that it is safe for their kids to come to FAMU and be in the band.

Young said that he would somewhat require parents to bring their freshmen students to campus instead of just sending them. He says that would give him an opportunity to sit down with parents and discuss everything with them in person.

04/09/2013 10:57am - BRAD TV ENT. NEWS

Under the new structure of the music department at FAMU, the new band director would report directly to the chair of the department. The music chair told Young that's why the first thing he wants to know in the interview, is about Young himself, as a person.

Young is also telling the department chair about rules he implemented at Ohio State to root out problems of students wanting to be in school and returning to school just to have fun in the band. He says he established an age limit and a limit in how many times a student can register. Students could only register for the marching band five times. Young says anyone over the age if 23 would have to have a long conversation with him about their intentions of wanting to be in the band.

Young says he also implemented a requirement that all freshmen band members had to spend monitored study time at the library. Young says if he's hired at FAMU, his first objective would be to support the real reason why students are in school, and that's to get a degree.

When asked would he follow the Marching 100's traditional show development or do something new, Young said, "you don't reinvent the wheel, but you do try to make it better."

Young says he would respect FAMU's tradition but says he would initiate new elements because he says he would want to keep it fresh and stay ahead of the pack. He says

 04/09/2013 9:20am - BRAD TV ENT. NEWS

The first of two candidates for FAMU's Director of Marching and Pep Bands begins his second round of on-campus interviews. Sylvester Young started this morning at 8:30 with a one-on-one with an associate dean of the College of Social Sciences, Arts & Humanities (CSSAH.)

During his interview, Young told the associate dean that he took several measures to stop hazing when he was the band director at Ohio University. He says he had protocols for traveling, such as band members having a dress code. Young says students in the Marching 100 should be ambassadors for FAMU.

Young recently retired from Ohio State. He is a graduate of FAMU. He met with the search committee last night.

After interviewing with the associate dean of CSSAH, Young will interview with the Music Department Chair, Department of Athletics, the President and Leadership Team, Faculty, followed by band rehearsal at 3:35.

The second candidate, Don Roberts, meets with the search committee tonight at 6, and tomorrow, he will have the same day-long schedule that Young is following today.

Tallahassee, Fla. -- FAMU is one step closer to finding a new director for the world famous marching 100 band. 

Monday, school officials met with a potential candidate for the job.

Many will tell you, FAMU has not been the same since it's famed March 100 band was suspended, but, that could soon change with the talks of the band coming back.

"I think that it's pretty good that the school is you know moving the ball as far as searching for a new band director," Clifton Abraham III, FAMU Student, said. "I feel as though the Marching 100 is one thing that the school is missing."

The search for the Marching 100's band director has narrowed down to two. This week, both candidates are meeting with school officials.

"Right now, the band just needs a fresh start, FAMU needs a fresh start and starting with of course hiring a new band director is the key to starting fresh," Abraham said.

Sylvester Young is the first candidate. The search committee interviewed him Monday evening on campus in a public meeting. Young is a former professor of music from Ohio University, and a FAMU alum.

"He's just had a very successful career," Rodner Wright, Search Committee Chairman, said.

The meeting last an hour and a half. Students and staff questioned Young. This decision will be critical for the Marching 100, which has recently faced tough challenges.

"They have to have a clear understanding as to what the context of the university is," Wright said.

The next candidate will have his interview come Tuesday evening.

The search committee did not give a deadline on when they'll make a decision, but once they do, they'll send their recommendation to the president who will make the final hire

FAMU BAND SEARCH SCHEDULE 2013

Florida A&M University Press Release

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – After announcing a decision in February to continue a national search for a new Director of Marching and Pep Bands, Florida A&M University will interview two candidates for the position next week.

The search committee will meet with

Sylvester Young, a former professor of music at Ohio University, on April 8 Florida A&M to Interview Candidates for Director of Marching and Pep Bands 

Don Roberts, instrumental music coordinator for Dekalb County School District, will interview on April 9 an

Mr. Don P. Roberts, M.M.ED. served as the Executive Band Consultant for the Twentieth
Century Fox hit movie, “Drumline”. He was responsible for training the actors,
writing the precision drills, rehearsing the band, etc. As the chief band
consultant, he played a vital role in the making of “Drumline” and its success.
The movie received national and international acclaim. In 2003, it was nominated
by the NAACP as “Most Outstanding Motion Picture” and also nominated for an
“American Choreography Award” for outstanding achievement in a feature film.


Most recently, Mr. Roberts was appointed as the Associate Producer and
Executive Band Consultant for the ESPNU Television series, “The Battle”, which
features some of America’s best Historically Black College and University (HBCU)
Marching Bands. The five series weekly show debuts in the fall of 2010.


Mr. Roberts also serves as the President and Musical Director of the
company, Halftime Live, which has provided the official drum line for the
Atlanta Hawks from 2007-Present, and the Atlanta Falcons in 2007. The Halftime
Live Marching Band was featured on worldwide television as they performed with
Grammy award winning artist, Ne-Yo, as a part of the 2008 National Hockey League
All-Star Game halftime show.

In 2009, Mr. Roberts served as the Musical
Director and Executive Band Consultant for the “Black College Football
Xperience” video game by Neriyzed Game Studios (bcfxgame.com). Mr. Roberts also
choreographed the drills and routines for the popular Nature’s Own Whitewheat
Bread commercial, which featured marching bands and debuted during the 2005
Super Bowl.

In 2005, Mr. Roberts also worked as the Executive Band
Consultant on the Missy Elliot hit song, “Bad Man”, from her album, “The
Cookbook”.

Don P. Roberts received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Music
Education from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) in
Tallahassee, Florida. While at FAMU, he served as drum major, student conductor,
and student arranger in what is considered to be one of the finest band programs
in America.

He received a Master's Degree in Music Education from
Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama.

Presently, Mr.
Roberts is pursuing a Doctorate Degree in Administration from Argosy University
in Sarasota, Florida.

As an educator, Mr. Roberts has served as the
Instrumental Music Coordinator of the DeKalb County School System (26th largest
school system in America) since 1996.  He served as the Chairman of the Music
Department and Director of Bands at Southwest DeKalb High School in Decatur,
Georgia from 1990 through 1996. He was appointed to a dual role from 1998-2004
as DeKalb County Instrumental Music Coordinator and Southwest DeKalb High School
Co-Director of Bands. With the assistance of six chairmen (3 band and 3
orchestra), Mr. Roberts supervises approximately 100 instrumental music
directors, 19 high schools, 19 middle schools, and 88 elementary schools. There
are more than 15,000 students participating in band and orchestra in DeKalb
schools.

Under the guidance of Mr. Roberts, the DeKalb County School
System has one of the largest, most active and innovative music programs in the
state of Georgia. The DeKalb School System was recognized as one of the “Top 100
Communities in Music Education in America” in 2005 and 2008.

Mr.
Roberts' bands (Southwest DeKalb High School and McNair Middle School) received
superior ratings for fifteen consecutive years from the Georgia Music Educators
Association (GMEA). The Southwest DeKalb High School band was the first African
American high school band to ever perform for the Georgia Music Educators
Association Convention in state history (1996). Under Mr. Roberts' tutelage the
band was invited to perform in the 1997 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New
York City. The band also recorded the compact discs, "We Rock the House", in
1996 and “Band of the 90’s” in 2000.

One of Mr. Roberts’ greatest
accomplishments as a music educator was the Southwest DeKalb Panthers being the
only band in America selected to perform in the Opening Ceremonies of the 1996
Centennial Olympic Games where he worked with world renown “Super Producers”
Kenny Ortega (High School Musical and This Is It) and Don Mischner (Prince Super
Bowl Halftime 2007).

Additionally, he served as Assistant Band Director
of the Atlanta Olympic Band, which performed in the Closing Ceremonies of the
1996 Olympic Games.

His 300 member Panther Marching Band was also the
hero band in the movie, “Drumline”. They have performed all across the United
States.

In 2008, Mr. Roberts was recognized by the Dallas Austin
Foundation as its 2008 “Maestro of the Year in Music Education”. He was also
recognized as a 2008 Black History Living Legend by Atherton Elementary School
in DeKalb County.

Mr. Roberts has served as a clinician, adjudicator,
and arranger for many different organizations throughout the Southeast. He was
Multicultural Chairman for the Georgia Music Educators Association for four
years (1998 – 2001). In addition to his membership in GMEA and Phi Beta Mu
International Bandmaster’s Fraternity, Mr. Roberts is a member of the 100 Black
Men of America, Kappa Kappa Psi Band Fraternity, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and
Music Educators National Conference.

He is Co-Founder of Precision
Incorporated (Summer Band Camp), Chief Consultant for the Metro Atlanta Battle
of the Bands, and former Executive Producer of DeKalb Schools Television Show,
"Music in Motion".d 10.

All sessions are open to public.

See attached document for the interview schedule.