John Leonard ’02, ’13 M.M., this week was named the Interim Assistant Director of Bands at Western Michigan University, where he has served as graduate assistant since 2016.
Professor Leonard will lead the WMU Bronco Marching Band, conducting the University Concert Band, coordinating the pep bands, and teaching basic conducting for the 2018-19 academic year.
For the past two years John has worked closely with our students and staff, and his familiarity with the WMU band program (and popularity with the students and staff) made him the natural choice to succeed David Montgomery.
He also gained substantial professional experience before starting our graduate program, including a similar position at Northeastern University in Boston for 3.5 years and adjunct teaching at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and SUNY Potsdam. In addition to the Master of Music in wind conducting he recently completed at WMU, he holds a Master of Music in jazz composition and arranging and a Bachelor of Music in music education, both from University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he was inducted into the Minuteman Band Hall of Fame in 2014.
Leonard will begin his doctoral work at the University of Kansas in 2019.