Al G. Wright
Encyclopedia
Dr. Al G. Wright is the Director of Bands Emeritus at Purdue University
and Chairman of the Board of the John Philip Sousa Foundation
.
While still a child Wright moved with his family to the United States, where he grew up in Pontiac, Michigan
. Wright played french horn
in high school and earned a music scholarship to the University of Miami
in Florida, where he earned both bachelor's (1937) and master's (1947) degrees. He taught band and orchestra at Miami Senior High School from 1938-1954.
Wright became director of the Purdue All-American Marching Band
(AAMB) in 1954, becoming only the second person to hold the position, and served for 27 years until his retirement in 1981. Wright introduced a number of innovations to the Purdue band program, including elaborate football halftime shows and an expanded majorette corps featuring the Golden Girl and Silver Twins. He was also responsible for significantly expanding the band's reach beyond football, including several performances at Radio City Music Hall
and international trips to Europe
, South America
, and Japan
.
In 1981 Wright received an honorary LLD from Troy State University, and in 1982 Purdue named him a Distinguished Alumnus. Dr. Wright was inducted into the National Band Association Hall of Fame of Distinguished Band Conductors
in 1986. He is also an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
.
Dr. Wright and his wife Gladys live in West Lafayette, Indiana
.
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
and Chairman of the Board of the John Philip Sousa Foundation
John Philip Sousa Foundation
The John Philip Sousa Foundation is a non-profit foundation dedicated to the promotion of band music internationally. The foundation administers a number of projects and awards supporting high quality band performance, conducting, and composition....
.
While still a child Wright moved with his family to the United States, where he grew up in Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
. Wright played french horn
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
in high school and earned a music scholarship to the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
in Florida, where he earned both bachelor's (1937) and master's (1947) degrees. He taught band and orchestra at Miami Senior High School from 1938-1954.
Wright became director of the Purdue All-American Marching Band
Purdue All-American Marching Band
The Purdue "All-American" Marching Band is the marching band of Purdue University. The Purdue "All-American" Marching Band is the primary source of auxiliary entertainment for Purdue University football games...
(AAMB) in 1954, becoming only the second person to hold the position, and served for 27 years until his retirement in 1981. Wright introduced a number of innovations to the Purdue band program, including elaborate football halftime shows and an expanded majorette corps featuring the Golden Girl and Silver Twins. He was also responsible for significantly expanding the band's reach beyond football, including several performances at Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
and international trips to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
In 1981 Wright received an honorary LLD from Troy State University, and in 1982 Purdue named him a Distinguished Alumnus. Dr. Wright was inducted into the National Band Association Hall of Fame of Distinguished Band Conductors
National Band Association Hall of Fame of Distinguished Band Conductors
The Hall of Fame of Distinguished Band Conductors was established on the campus of what was then known as Troy State University in Troy, Alabama, by the National Band Association in 1979...
in 1986. He is also an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is an American collegiate social fraternity for men with a special interest in music...
.
Dr. Wright and his wife Gladys live in West Lafayette, Indiana
West Lafayette, Indiana
As of the census of 2010, there were 29,596 people, 12,591 households, and 3,588 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,381.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 74.3% White, 17.3% Asian, 2.7% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.03% Pacific...
.