AUSTIN, Texas — Scott Hanna has been named the new director of the Longhorn Band at The University of Texas at Austin. Hanna has served as the associate director of the band for the past 16 years and also will be promoted to associate director of bands in the Butler School of Music.
“I am honored to be named the director of the greatest college band in the world,” said Hanna. “All of us associated with the Longhorn Band stand on the shoulders of giants who came before us. Our students and alumni are the finest people I know, and I am excited to begin our collaboration as we chart the future course of the Showband of the Southwest.”
He will begin as director this summer.
Ryan Kelly, director of athletic bands and director of the Marching Knights at the University of Central Florida, will serve as associate director of the Longhorn Band and assistant director of bands.
“We are thrilled that Scott and Ryan will continue the great tradition of leadership of the Longhorn Band,” said Mary Ellen Poole, director of the Butler School of Music. “Their individual gifts as musicians, their deep understanding of the group’s history and culture and their passion for excellence mean that our most visible ensemble has a bright future indeed.”
Hanna succeeds Robert M. Carnochan, who served as Longhorn Band director for 13 years. Carnochan is leaving UT Austin to become the University of Miami’s director of wind studies and conductor of the Frost Wind Ensemble.
“Dr. Scott Hanna is a superb conductor and band director steeped in the Longhorn Band tradition,” said College of Fine Arts Dean Doug Dempster. “He also brings a progressive vision to the future of marching bands and their role in the world of NCAA sports. I couldn’t be more confident about him stepping into the directorship of the Longhorn Band.”
Hanna will be the 12th director to serve the Longhorn Band. Prior to joining the Butler School of Music faculty, Hanna completed his master’s degree in music and human learning and a doctorate in wind conducting at UT Austin. He received his undergraduate degrees in music education and instrumental music performance from Louisiana State University.
Kelly, also a UT Austin graduate, returns to Austin from the University of Central Florida. He formerly served as a teaching assistant with the UT Bands while earning his doctorate in wind conducting. He wrote drill, arranged music and served as a rehearsal assistant for the Longhorn Band. Kelly received his first two degrees in music education from Florida State University.
The Longhorn Band, also known as the Showband of the Southwest, was founded in 1900 by a distinguished professor of chemistry, Dr. Eugene P. Schoch. The band performs at all in-state football games, for various Texas Longhorn athletics teams and at special pep rallies and parades throughout the year. The band includes more than 380 students from across many majors, all of whom rehearse and perform as part of a year-round Longhorn Band course offered by the Butler School of Music.
“With these remarkable gentlemen at the helm, there is no doubt that continued bright days are ahead for this great band,” said Jerry F. Junkin, director of bands in the Butler School of Music. “Students join the band for a variety of reasons, but they are bound by shared desire — to be a part of something special, to be a part of a great tradition and simply to be in a great band, together.”
Traditional songs “The Eyes of Texas” and “Texas Fight” from the Longhorn Band:
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