Bobby Adams celebrates 25 years at Stetson

Bobby Adams celebrates 25 years leading Stetson bands.

Celebrating 25 years at Stetson, and a total of 50 years teaching music at high schools in Florida and Indiana, Music Education Professor, Coordinator of Instrumental Music and Director of Bands, Dr. Bobby Adams, will be honored by Stetson’s School of Music at the Symphonic Band concert, 7:30 p.m., April 21. The concert, which will include the participation of several Invitational Honor Bands, led by two of Adams’ former students, will be held in Lee Chapel, inside Elizabeth Hall, 421 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand. The featured honor bands include the Rock Lake Middle School Band, conducted by Kerry Couch, and the New World School of the Arts Wind Ensemble fromMiami, conducted by Brent Mounger.

“Dr. Adams is largely responsible for the increase of the band presence in Stetson’s School of Music from 19 percent to nearly 50 percent of the music student population,” said the Dean of Stetson’s School of Music, Dr. Jean O. West. “By making connections with individuals—whether colleagues, students, parents, alumni or audience members—and by serving his profession as an arts advocate of the highest order, Dr. Bobby Adams is a marvelous blend of education, professional expectation and fabulous music making. We in the School of Music count him as one of the legacy builders of our program’s excellence and distinction.”

This concert will also feature several premier performances of works transcribed by Joseph Kreines, and by Stetson oboe professor, Ann Adams, Adam’s wife, who will also perform. A Divertimento for Symphonic Band, written to honor Adams by Stetson’s Almand Chair of Composition Sydney Hodkinson, will also be performed.

A member of the Stetson University faculty since 1987, Adams conducts the University Symphonic Band and teaches advanced instrumental conducting and courses in music education. Prior to his appointment at Stetson, he taught at two high schools in Indiana: Clearspring High School and Ligonier High School. In Florida, Adams taught six years at North Ft.Myers High School, five years at Bayshore High School in Bradenton, and eight years at Leon High School in Tallahassee. Adams is the recipient of the Leadership Award for Music Education presented to him in 1996 by the Florida Music Educators Association, and Stetson University’s Hand Award for Excellence in Research in 1998. He is an elected member of Phi Beta Mu National Honor Fraternity, the prestigious American Bandmasters Association, the Florida Music Educators Association Hall of Fame, the Florida Bandmasters Association Hall of Fame (high school directors) and Roll of Distinction (college/university directors). In the summer of 2006 he was awarded the Signature Sinfonian Award, a new national award presented by Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia at their national convention in Cleveland. In addition Dr. Adams conducts all-state/honor bands and orchestras throughout the United States.

To honor Adams’ 25th anniversary at Stetson University, the Bobby L. Adams Scholarship was established this spring to support Stetson students studying music education. To help honor Bobby Adams’ legacy, please contact Stetson University’s Office of Development at (386) 822-7455, or www2.stetson.edu/give.

For more information about the anniversary celebration, email [email protected]. General admission to the concert: $10; $8 senior citizens; $5 area students. More information: Stetson’s School of  Music (386) 822-8950; Concert Line (386) 822-8947; www2.stetson.edu/music.