University of Wisconsin Marching Band Staff
Prof. Michael Leckrone
Director of the Marching Band
Prof. Michael Leckrone is the Director of the Marching Band and Director of Bands at the University of Wisconsin. A native of Indiana, Prof. Leckrone received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Butler University in Indianapolis and has continued his studies at the doctoral level at Indiana University. Before coming to Wisconsin he taught at his alma mater, where he developed one of the finest marching bands in the Midwest. He is in constant demand as a clinician, guest conductor and adjudicator for concert and marching bands throughout the United States and Canada, and his experience also includes considerable professional work as an arranger, composer and performer.
He holds memberships in numerous professional organizations, as well as such honorary fraternities as Kappa Kappa Psi, Phi Mu Alpha, Phi Kappa Lambda, Phi Kappa Phi, and Phi Beta Mu. He is a 25 year member of ASCAP and has been elected to the American Bandmasters Association. In 1970 he was cited as an "Outstanding Educator of America" by the Outstanding Americans Foundation, in 1973 was awarded the "Outstanding Bandmaster Award" by the Wisconsin Chapter of Phi Beta Mu, and in 1986 was presented with a Citation of Excellence by the National Band Association. He is a recipient of 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." Prof. Leckrone was recently inducted into the Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame and the Wisconsin Football Hall of Fame, he has been commissioned a "Kentucky Colonel" by the Governor of Kentucky, named a "Badger Legend" by the Governor of Wisconsin and was named one of 10 Madison Musical Legends by Madison Magazine. The University of Wisconsin has also honored him with an appointment to a prestigious "John Bascom Professorship."
Prof. Leckrone has composed or arranged music for numerous high school and university bands, and over 200 of his arrangements and compositions for marching band and concert band have been published. He is also the author of two texts for use by marching band directors, a handbook for band arranging and a text dealing with popular music in the United States.
Prof. Leckrone is now in his 43rd year as Director of the Badger Band.
Dr. Justin R. Stolarik
Assistant Director of the Marching Band
Dr. Justin R. Stolarik is currently the Assistant Director of the Marching Band and Assistant Director of Bands at The University of Wisconsin-Madison where he assists with all aspects of the University Bands program. In addition to his duties as the Assistant Director, Dr. Stolarik also oversees the Wisconsin Drumline and the Marching Percussion Program. Prior to his appointment at UW, he served one year as the Assistant Director of Bands at Henderson State University where he co-directed the Marching Band, conducted the Symphony Band and Reddie Basketball Band, taught courses in Marching Band Techniques and Wind Conducting, and was a frequent guest conductor in the Department of Music.
As a former graduate teaching assistant at The University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Stolarik worked extensively with the Longhorn Band, Basketball Band, undergraduate conducting classes, the Longhorn Concert Band, and was on faculty for the Longhorn Summer Music Camps. His wind arrangements were frequently performed by the athletic bands at football and basketball games before audiences of over 80,000. In addition to athletic bands, he has arranged for The Dallas Wind Symphony and The University of Texas Wind Ensemble (with premieres across Europe in 2008), as well as instrumental back-ups for Carolyn Wonderland, Roky Erickson, Ray Benson, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Ghostland Observatory.
Dr. Stolarik is active in the public schools as a clinician, adjudicator, and guest conductor. He has taught and arranged for marching bands throughout Florida, Texas, and Arkansas, as well as for the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps. Dr. Stolarik holds a bachelor's degree with highest honors in Music Education from The University of Florida, and master's and doctorate degrees in Performance, with emphasis in Wind Conducting, from The University of Texas at Austin. Recently, his recording of John Cage's Dream was featured as part of two art installations in Scotland, and his recording of Philip Glass's Opening was used by a New York architectural firm as the soundtrack for an architectural project animation. Some of his past performances have been featured in issues of Modern Drummer and Percussion News. He is an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi (Alpha Tau) and Tau Beta Sigma (Beta Gamma and Theta Theta), and holds memberships in CBDNA, WASBE, ASCAP, TMEA, and PAS.
Dr. Stolarik is now in his 3rd year as Assistant Director of the Badger Band.
Mark Messer - Field Assistant
Mark Messer returns to the University of Wisconsin Band Staff for his thirty-sixth year as a field assistant. Mark originally served for eight consecutive years, interrupted his work with the band to help raise his young children and develop an outstanding string repair business in Madison, and then returned to the band in 1984. Mark is a former member of the trumpet section with the Wisconsin Band even though his primary area of performance is violin. He was a member of the University Symphony and acted as manager for all the groups in the Orchestra Department while an undergraduate. Since graduating he has earned his Masters of Music degree from the UW-Madison and has recently retired from his long-time position as a string specialist with the Madison Metropolitan School District. Mark is a member of the UW Band Alumni Steering Committee and plays in the Edgewood College Chamber Orchestra. He also serves as Ticket Manager for the UW Varsity Band's Annual Spring Concert. |
William Garvey - Field Assistant
William Garvey recently retired as the Director of Instrumental Music at McFarland High School, where he developed one of the most successful band programs in the state. Bill is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin School of Music, and also holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan. He served as a member of the Wisconsin Marching Band for four years, was the Tuba Section Leader, and was also the Band Department Equipment Manager. This is Bill's thirty-fifth season as a Field Assistant. |
Janice Stone - Field Assistant
Janice Stone is serving as field assistant with the Wisconsin Band for her nineteenth year. She is a former member of the tuba section, and has the distinction of being the first female tuba player in the Wisconsin Band. She marched with the band for six years, the last two as the section leader. Janice is a graduate of Hononegah High School in Rockton, Illinois. She received two degrees from the University, her Bachelor of Music degree in 1989, and her Master's of Music in 2001. She presently teaches instrumental music in the Monona Grove School District, teaching middle school band at Glacial Drumlin School in Cottage Grove and fourth grade strings at Cottage Grove Elementary School. |
Michael Stone - Field Assistant
Michael Stone is in his eighteenth year as a member of the University of Wisconsin Band Staff. He marched for five years as a member of the tuba section, the last as a section leader. Michael is a graduate of Stoughton High School, where he was active in a number of bands. He has a BA in English from UW Madison. Michael is a Real Estate Appraiser, working for Stone Appraisals, LLC. |
Matt Whiting - Field Assistant
Matt Whiting begins his sixteenth year as field assistant after serving as a member of the flügelhorn section in the band for five years from 1982-86. He is a graduate of McFarland High School and holds three degrees from the University of Wisconsin majoring in Earth Science, Communication Arts and History. Prior to his service with the band, Matt spent six years in the US Marine Corps where he was a sergeant of infantry. He is presently very active in Alumni Band activities and is a member of the UW Band Alumni Band Board. Matt currently is employed by Federal Express working with aircraft and airliners. |
Brian Hettiger - Field Assistant
Brian Hettiger begins his eleventh year as a field assistant with the Wisconsin Band. Brian was a four-year member of the trumpet section, serving as a rank leader for two years. He also served as a Rehearsal Assistant for one year. Brian graduated from Green Bay Southwest High School where he received the Louis Armstrong Award as Outstanding Jazz Musician. In 1990, Brian graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a BBA in Marketing. Brian is currently employed with the University of Wisconsin Foundation as Director of Donor Relations for the College of Agricutural & Life Sciences, Arboretum, Lakeshore Nature Preserve, and the Nelson Institute. He is a member of the UW Alumni Band Board and resides in McFarland with his children Andrew and Alexa. |
Arick Ecker - Field Assistant
Arick Ecker is in his seventh year as a Field Assistant for the University of Wisconsin Marching Band. Arick marched for five years as a member of the tuba section. He also worked for four years as a member of the student staff for the band. Arick is a graduate of McFarland High School. Arick has a degree from UW in History. He currently works at WPS working with Provider Development. |
Jason Riesterer - Field Assistant
Jason Riesterer begins his sixth year as a field assistant with the UW Band. He served as a member of the trumpet section for five years, the last as section leader. During his time at UW, he was also a member of the UW Band Staff. Jason is a graduate of Valders High School, holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and went on to earn his Master's Degree in Education from Walden University. Jason is currently in his ninth year of teaching, employed as the High School Band Instructor for the Brodhead School District. Jason, his wife Beth, and their daughter Brynn live in Evansville. |
Bill Utter - Field Assistant
Bill Utter begins his seventh year as a Field Assistant with the UW Band. He served as a member of the trumpet section for ten years, the last five as rank leader. Additionally, Bill worked as a copyist on the Band Staff. He is a graduate of McFarland High School where he was active in band. Bill is a former member of the McFarland Volunteer Fire Department and also was an EMT in McFarland before moving to his current residence in Middleton. He is currently employed by CHS transportation. |
Patrick Coughlin - Percussion Instructor
This is Patrick's sixth year as a member of the Wisconsin Band Staff. Prior to that, he was a member of the Wisconsin Drumline and also marched as a member of the Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps. Patrick has instructed high school drumlines and percussion ensembles all over Wisconsin, including Middleton, Racine, Kenosha, Waukesha South, West DePere, and others. He has directed the Edgewood College Pep Band, and now serves as the Director of the TundraLine, the official drumline of the Green Bay Packers. Patrick runs a private music studio in Madison, and completed his Masters Degree in Music Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. |
John Biester - Announcer
John Biester, in his sixteenth year, has been the announcer for the Wisconsin Band since the untimely passing of our friend, Jack Rane in December of 1994. John is a 1973 graduate of Beloit Memorial High School where he received honors as Outstanding Brass Player on the tuba and the John Philip Sousa Band Award. He marched as a member of the Tuba section during his freshman year in the Wisconsin Band. He was then selected as the Drum Major of the Wisconsin Band at tryouts each of the next four years. John has the distinction of being the only person to be drum major for the Band for four years under Mike Leckrone's direction. John also served as a field assistant in 1978, 1992 and 1993. John holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Performance and a Master's degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also earned his teaching certification and license in Music Education at the UW-Madison. John is presently the Band Director at Parker High School in Janesville. |
Gary Smith - Business Manager and Photographer
Gary Smith is in his twenty-ninth season as the Staff Photographer for the Wisconsin Band. He has the special ability to capture the Wisconsin Band Spirit. Gary was named an "Honorary Member of the Wisconsin Band" in 1987. After Gary retired from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Facilities, Planning, and Management, he became the Business Manager for the Wisconsin Band. All photographs in UW Band publications are the work of Gary Smith. |