Fleming’s Farewell marks retirement of Sun Devil Marching Band director

WHAT: Band Concert featuring Wind Symphony, Wind Ensemble and Chamber Winds

WHEN: 7:30 p.m., (Wednesday) April 24

WHERE: Gammage Auditorium, 1200 South Forest Avenue, Tempe

TICKETS: Free admission, no tickets required; doors open at 7 p.m.

INFORMATION: 480-965-TUNE (8863)

Fleming's Farwell is Robert "Coach" Fleming's farewell appearance as associate director of bands at ASU. Known throughout the country for his long-time stint as director of the award-winning Sun Devil Marching Band, Fleming retires at the end of the semester.

The concert is April 24 (Wednesday) at 7:30 p.m. in Gammage Auditorium. Admission is free, no tickets are required. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Three of the bands in the Herberger College of Fine Arts School of Music take the Gammage stage during the concert - Wind Symphony, Wind Ensemble and Chamber Winds.

Robert C. Fleming, professor of music, associate director of bands and director of the Sun Devil Marching Band at ASU. He also conducts Concert Band and the Sun Devil Basketball Pep Bands. Prior to his arrival at ASU in 1974, he was director of bands at the University of Tennessee at Martin, Tenn., for seven years. He has degrees from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie-Mellon University and Southern Illinois University (Doctor of Philosophy in Secondary Education). His ASU Sun Devil Marching Band received the 1991 Sudler Trophy distinguishing it as one of the most outstanding marching band programs in the country.

In addition to his duties at ASU, Fleming is an active marching and concert band clinician, adjudicator and a member of numerous professional organizations. He served on the Board of Directors of the American Bandmasters Association from 1990 to 1993. He is past president of the PAC-10 Band Directors Association and past national president of the National Band Honorary Fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi. He currently continues to serve the fraternity as a member of the Board of Trustees. He is also on the Board of Directors for the John Phillip Sousa Foundation and serves as chairman of the Sudler Shield Committee. In 1989, Fleming was installed as an honorary member of Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Mu, the International Bandmasters Fraternity. In 1993, he received the Bohumil Makovsky Memorial Award to Outstanding College Band Directors from Kappa Kappa Psi and in September of 1994, he received the Professional Fraternity Association¹s 1994 Faculty Award of Excellence. In 1996, Fleming received the O.M. Hartsell Excellence in Teaching Award from the Arizona Music Educators Association and was appointed to the Board of Directors of the John Philip Sousa Foundation. Also in 1996, he was the conductor for the South Dakota and Colorado All State Bands. In November 2000, Fleming received the Distinguished Service to Music Medal from Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity.

Media Contact:
Mary Brennan
480-965-3587
mary.brennan@asu.edu