Michael Leckrone
Encyclopedia
University of Wisconsin Marching Band
The University of Wisconsin Marching Band is the marching band for the University of Wisconsin–Madison. It was formed with 11 members in the fall of 1885 to support the military battalion. Today, it has grown to over 300 members and performs at all Badger home football games.-History:The...
since 1969. He is noted for his extraordinary ability to remember the names of all the past and present members of the band, as well as where they were from, and what instrument they played.
Background
Leckrone grew up in North Manchester, Ind. His father, Harold Leckrone M.M. '57, was the high school band teacher, but never pressured his son to follow in his professional footsteps, which included a contribution to the scoreFilm score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
of the 1986 film Hoosiers
Hoosiers
Hoosiers is a 1986 sports film about a small-town Indiana high school basketball team that wins the state championship. It is loosely based on the Milan High School team that won the 1954 state championship....
. Instead, Leckrone entertained thoughts of becoming anything from a basketball coach to a chemical engineer
Chemical engineer
In the field of engineering, a chemical engineer is the profession in which one works principally in the chemical industry to convert basic raw materials into a variety of products, and deals with the design and operation of plants and equipment to perform such work...
. When it came down to making the decision, though, he couldn't deny his love for making music.
A native of Indiana, Leckrone received his bachelor and masters of music at Butler University
Butler University
Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...
where he played basketball his Freshman year, backing up Bobby Plump, who was the real life hero from the movie "Hoosiers." He then studied at the doctoral level at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
. He eventually became the director of bands for three years at his alma mater, Butler University. In 1969, he became the director of the marching band at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
. He has composed or arranged many pieces, and over 200 of his compositions for marching and concert bands have been published.
Tenure at Wisconsin
When Leckrone became director of the Wisconsin Marching Band, interest in the program was very low. By creating a new demanding marching style, "stop at the top", a pre-game run on, and emphasizing showmanship, he turned the program around. The growth and success of the Wisconsin Marching Band is his proudest accomplishment. Talking about his half-time shows, Leckrone said, "I have always patterned my shows around the old Ed Sullivan Television ShowThe Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
. The most important thing the Sullivan Show had going for it was variety. If you didn't like an act that Ed introduced, you knew that in a minute or two, there would be something entirely different." He also extended his efforts off the football field by establishing the Varsity Band to play at other sporting events.
Spring Concert
Awards and recognitions
- Named an "Outstanding Educator of America" by the Outstanding Americans Foundation in 1970.
- Awarded the "Outstanding Bandmaster Award" by the Wisconsin Chapter of Phi BetaPhi BetaPhi Beta Fraternity: National Professional Association for the Creative and Performing Arts is an American national professional college fraternity for the creative and performing arts. It was founded in 1912 at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois...
in 1973. - Presented with a Citation of Excellence by the National Band Association in 1986.
- Received the "Pat O'Dea Award", the "Blue Line Club Distinguished Service Award", the "Badger Basketball Boosters Distinguished Service Award," the UW Alumni Club "Distinguished Faculty Award", and the Wisconsin Newspaper Writers "Special Edition Award".
- Inducted into the Wisconsin Hockey Hall of FameWisconsin Hockey Hall of FameThe Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame which is located in Eagle River, Wisconsin, was founded in 1975 and is housed in the Eagle River Sports Arena. The hall was established to honor outstanding individuals responsible for the development, growth and success of amateur ice hockey in the State of...
and the Wisconsin Football Hall of Fame. - Honored with an appointment to a prestigious "John Bascom Professorship" by the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
- Received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Music by the Wisconsin Foundation for School Music in 2007.
External links
- UW Marching Band website
- Downloadable 16-minute audio interview with UW Band Director Michael Leckrone, Leckrone talks about band history, evolution of the Spring Concert and UW fans around the United States.