Performances by five guest bands and a series of clinics are the highlights of the 32^nd annual Southeastern United States Concert Band Clinic Feb. 3 – Feb. 5 at Troy University .

Bands selected to perform are the Okaloosa County Honor Band, Oak Mountain High School Band, Stephenson High School Band, Stockbridge High School Band, Cullman High School Band and the Troy University Symphony Band will offer concerts during the weekend, said Carol Franks, executive director of the band clinic and assistant professor in the TROY School of Music.
   

The performances will begin Thursday at 8 p.m. with Okaloosa County Honor Band’s opening concert in Claudia Crosby Theater in Smith Hall and continue at 11 a.m. Friday when the Oak Mountain High School Band performs under the direction of Jim Duren. Stockbridge High School Band, under the direction of Stephen McCarthy will perform at 1:15 p.m. followed by the Cullman High School Band at 4 p.m. conducted by Garry Taylor.
   

The Troy University Symphony Band, under the direction of Ralph Ford, will perform at 8 p.m. Friday. The 70-member symphony band performs throughout the southeastern United States on its annual spring tour and regularly performs concerts for university-sponsored clinics and special events. The concert will feature Concerto for Flute  by Thom Ritter-George and featuring Franks, an assistant professor of flute. Conductor Emeritus Dr. John M. Long will conduct Stars and Stripes Forever.
   

The Stephenson High School Band under the direction of Nelson Render will perform at 1 p.m. Saturday, followed at 4:30 p.m. by the SEUS Crimson and Silver Honor Bands.
   

The Crimson Honor Band will be conducted by West Virginia University Director of Bands Don Wilcox. In more than 45 years of working with musicians of all ages and abilities, Wilcox has conducted bands from one-room schools in rural Appalachia to several of the world’s major concert halls, including those in 48 states and 16 foreign countries. He has been guest conductor in Tokyo , Japan of the Musachino Academia Musicae Wind Ensemble.
  

 Wilcox is a graduate of the University of Michigan and serves on the board of directors of both the John Philip Sousa  Foundation and the American Bandmasters Association. He has received WVU's Outstanding Teacher Award, the 1993 Golden Apple Outstanding Faculty Award, and special citations from three Governors for his contributions to the state of West Virginia . In 1986, he became the first teacher ever to be named a Distinguished Fine Arts Alumnus of California State University at Long Beach (MM Ed 1963). He is also the recipient of the Sudler Order of Merit from the John Philip Sousa Foundation, and the Distinguished Service To Music Award from the National Council of Kappa Kappa Psi, and West Virginia University 's Heebink Award for Outstanding Service to the university and the state.
   

Conducting the Silver Honor Band this year will be American Bandmasters Association President John Locke, who has served on the University of North Carolina Greensboro School of Music faculty since 1982 as director of bands and founding director of Summer Music Camp. A professor of music, Locke is conductor of the University Wind Ensemble and has chaired the instrumental division. He holds both bachelor’s and master’s of music degrees from West Virginia University and a doctor’s of education degree from the University of Illinois . He has conducted band performances throughout the country including those in Washington , D.C. ’s Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center in New York City . In addition, he has guest conducted the U.S. Air Force Band, the U.S. Army Field Band, the U.S. Navy band and the Dallas Wind Symphony, and numerous university bands.
  

 In 1989, Dr. Locke was selected for membership in the prestigious American Bandmasters Association, one of the youngest members of the modern era. He has received the Phi Mu Alpha Orpheus Award and has been a recipient of the National Band Association Citation of Excellence on three occasions. He is a National Arts Associate of Sigma Alpha Iota. In 1994, Dr. Locke received the Phi Beta Mu International Fraternity Outstanding Bandmaster of the Year Award, presented at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago . With the UNCG Wind Ensemble, Locke has recorded eleven commercially available compact discs which have received critical acclaim from Bandworld Magazine and been aired frequently on PBS radio stations across the country. He is Past-President of the North Carolina Music Educators Association, an affiliate of MENC with some 2,200 members. In 1999, Dr. Locke became President of the Southern Division of the College Band Directors National Association anda member of the Board of Directors of the American Bandmasters Association. In 2002, Dr. Locke was nominated for the O. Max Gardner Award, the highest award in the 16-campus UNC System. In 2003, Locke was elected Vice-President of the American Bandmasters Association and was awarded the Outstanding Teacher Award in the School of Music in April.
  

 Both Wilcox and Locke will guest conduct the Troy University Symphony Band during its performance.
  

 In addition to the concerts, the three-day event will enable participants to receive instruction during performance clinics, view exhibitsand read newly-published music during special sessions for band directors.
  

 Eugene Wyles will present a workshop on sight reading and Composer in Residence Robert Sheldon will present “Preparing Your Ensemble for Expressive Performance.”
  

Wyles is the director of bands at Abraham Baldwin College after retiring from Worth County High school in Sylvester , Ga. as director of bands after 31 years. He earned a bachelors of fine arts from the University of Florida , a masters of music education from Vandercook College of Music in Chicago and is a graduate of the U.S. Naval School of Music in Washington , D.C.   During his high school teaching career, he was selected Star Teacher on four separate occasions, and was the recipient of the year book dedication.  He was selected Band Director of the Year at the Southeastern United States Concert Band Clinic held at Troy University .  In 1994, he was presented the Distinguished Career Award at the Georgia Music Educators Association convention held in Savannah , Ga.   He is a past president ofthe Georgia chapter of Phi Beta Mu, honorary music fraternity, and is a past State Instrumental Chairman with the Georgia Music Educators.  He is on the board of directors for the Southeastern United States Concert Band Clinic and Honor Bands at Troy University .  He is a frequent adjudicator and clinician in Georgia , Florida and Alabama . 
  

 Sheldon is one of the most performed composers of wind band music today.  A recipient of numerous awards from the American School Band Director's Association, Phi Beta Mu and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, his compositions embody a level of expression that resonates with ensembles and audiences alike.  His music is performed around the world and appears on many international concert and contest lists. Mr. Sheldon regularly accepts commissions for new works, and produces numerous publications for concert band each year.
   

In addition to his position as Conductor of the Prairie Wind Ensemble, his schedule includes many engagements as a guest conductor for All-State and Regional Honor Bands.  He also frequently appears as a Music Education clinician, and has presented sessions and seminars at numerous colleges and universities as well as state Music Education Association conferences.  He has served as a conductor and clinician throughout the United States , as well as Japan , Canada , and The Republic of China. Sheldon is currently concert band editor for the Alfred Publishing Company.
   

The concerts and events are free and open to the public.