Jack R. Anderson was appointed Director of Bands at the

University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the univers ...

in 1995 after serving as assistant director at Pitt for 9 years. His responsibilities include directing the Varsity Marching Band, leading the Pep Band, and conducting the Symphonic Band. As a music educator in

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

for 37 years, he has served as a guest conductor and adjudicator for PMEA throughout Western Pennsylvania. On 10 September 2012, he announced his retirement to members of the marching band at rehearsal and in an email to band alumni, to be effective at the conclusion of the 2012–2013 academic year.A message from the Director of Bands, Jack R. Anderson
2012-09-10

University education

Jack played in the

Pitt Band The University of Pittsburgh Varsity Marching Band, or Pitt Band, is the college marching band at the University of Pittsburgh. The band numbers over 300 students consisting of instrumentalists, a majorette squad known as the Golden Girls, a color ...

in the late 1960s and early 1970s and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master’s of Education degree from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

Membership

Anderson is a member of many professional organizations including the College Band Directors National Association,

Big East The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference that competes in NCAA Division I in ten men's sports and twelve women's sports. Headquartered in New York City, the eleven full-member schools are primarily located in Northeast and ...

Band Directors Association, Music Educators National Conference,

Pennsylvania Music Educators Association The Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, more commonly known as PMEA, is the Pennsylvania state-level affiliate of the National Association for Music Education. PMEA is a statewide non-profit organization of over 5,000 members reaching tho ...

, and the following honoraries: Omicron Delta Kappa,

Kappa Kappa Psi Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity (, colloquially referred to as KKPsi), is a fraternity for college and university band members in the United States. It was founded on November 27, 1919, on Thanksgiving Day, at Oklahoma Agricult ...

Tau Beta Sigma Tau Beta Sigma Honorary Band Sorority, (, colloquially referred to as TBSigma or TBS) is a co-educational service sorority. The sorority, headquartered at the historic Stillwater Santa Fe Depot in Stillwater, Oklahoma, numbers over 3,800 active ...

, Mu Kappa Upsilon, and Iota Beta Kappa.

Distinguishments

In 2007, Anderson was awarded the

Distinguished Service to Music Medal The Distinguished Service to Music Medal is an award presented by Kappa Kappa Psi, National Honorary Band Fraternity. It is awarded to people who have contributed to the advancement of the wind band "as a cultural, musical and educational medium. ...

for marching band, the highest national award presented by

, National Honorary Band Fraternity. He also was awarded the “Professor of the Year Award” in 2006 and 2007 for outstanding teaching from Pitt’s Fraternity and Sorority Life, a part of the Division of Student Affairs. In addition to these prestigious awards, he has received the Paula Crider Outstanding Band Director Award, presented annually by

, National Honorary Band Sorority, to a college band or university band director who distinguishes himself in the field of university bands; “Outstanding Leader on Campus Award,” presented by the Student Government Board at Pitt; and a “Special Recognition Award,” given by the Mon Valley Chapter of the Panther Club for his dedicated service to Pitt athletics.

Personal life

Jack and his wife Peggy met while in the Pitt Band as undergraduates, and they live in Scott Township. They have two daughters, Katie Culp and Carrie Fisher, both alumni of the Pitt Band. They are also the grandparents of Anderson, Jake and Molly, children of Carrie and Michael.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, Jack R. Year of birth missing (living people) Living people University of Pittsburgh alumni University of Pittsburgh faculty American music educators American conductors (music) American male conductors (music) University and college band directors American bandleaders Edinboro University of Pennsylvania alumni Distinguished Service to Music Medal recipients