The Stetson University School of Music and the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA) will present the 22^nd annual FBA Hall of Fame Weekend at Stetson on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 12 and 13.  Honorees to be inducted this year into the Hall of Fame are Kenneth R. Tolbert, director of the Miami Central Band that was nationally recognized in 1983 by the U.S. Congressional Record as Ambassadors of Goodwill during their trip to what was then West Berlin, Germany, and Randy Folsom, director of bands at Fort Walton Beach High School since 1999, and was named Teacher of the Year there in 2010.

The 2011 inductee into the Roll of Distinction will be the late Colonel Harold B. Bachman (1892-1972), whose career spanned the years 1903 to 1972, from Minot, N. D., to Paris, France, to Gainesville, Fla, and many points in between. His leadership of military, professional and student bands through countless concerts and performances during the first three quarters of the 20^th century mirrors the development and height of the “Golden Days” of band music in theUnited States.

The weekend includes two concerts in the Lee Chapel of Elizabeth Hall, StetsonUniversity, 421 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand. Admission is free to each concert and the public is invited. For additional information, contact the Schoolof Musicat (386) 822-8950, the Concert Line at (386) 822-8947, or online at www2.stetson.edu/music.

Roll of Distinction Concert: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12. The evening performance will feature the Southern Winds, with Bobby Adams, conductor, and guest conductors. Guest conductors will include: John Duff, director, school of music, University of Florida; Frank Howes, senior director of fine arts (Ret.), Polk County Schools; Gary Langford, professor emeritus of music, University of Florida; William Gora, director of bands, emeritus, Appalachian State University; and James Croft, director of bands, emeritus, Florida State University. The Euphonium soloist will be Mark Dickman,University of NorthFlorida.

Hall of Fame Concert: 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13. The afternoon performance will feature theStetson University Symphonic Band,Bobby Adams, conductor. The guest conductor for the Hall of Fame Concert will be John Long, director of bands, emeritus, Troy University in AL.

BIOS OF THE INDUCTEES:

Kenneth R. Tolbert: Born inJacksonville,Fla., Kenneth Tolbert is a product of the Duval County School System and graduated from New Stanton High School in 1963. He graduated from Florida A&M University where he was a member of the Marching “100” Symphonic Band and was selected for Who’s Who in Colleges and Universities. He served as band director of Keller High School in MacClenny; Douglas Anderson High School; Mathew Gilbert High School; and assistant band director of William M. Raines; band director of Miami Central 1971-85; and Miami Norland 1986-98; Florida Memorial University; Dillard High School; and John Fitzgerald Kennedy Middle School.  He was named Teacher of the Year at Miami Central five times and Miami-Dade County runner-up in 1986. Tolbert is a member of the Florida Bandmasters Association, National Band Association, American School Band Directors Association, Kappa Kappa Psi, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonian and the Greater Miami Community Band.  He was selected into Florida A&M University’s Gallery of Distinction, and received the Miami-Dade County Commission certificate of Achievement.

Randy Folsom: He has spent the past 29 years teaching in the Okaloosa County School District. He served as assistant band director at Crestview High School and then band director at Richbourg Junior High. In 1988, Folsom moved to Fort Walton Beach High School where he served as assistant band director until taking over the band program in 1999. He is a member of the Florida Bandmasters Association, NAfME and Phi Beta Mu. He has served as FBA District 1 chairman and is an active adjudicator in the state of Florida. He’s the current president of the Florida Bandmasters Association. Folsom’s honors include the Oliver Hobbs Award from the Florida Bandmasters Association, recognizing outstanding professional achievement in the field. He received the Best Teacher award through the Best of the Emerald Coast nominations as well as an award from Cox Communications recognizing outstanding teachers.    

Colonel Harold B. Bachman (1892-1972). While Bachman’s influence on music education is well documented through numerous articles, instructional guides, biographical sketches, clinics, festivals and guest conducting engagements throughout the United States, perhaps his most significant contribution was the “Smith-Yoder-Bachman Ensemble Band Method” which he co-authored with Claude Smith and Paul Yoder. This method sold over 1 million copies and was a staple in many band programs in the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Among his many awards and accomplishments are honorary doctorates from the University of Idaho and North Dakota State University; President of the American Bandmasters Association; and he was the first person to be elected into the Florida Music Educators Association Hall of Fame.