Dr. Ishbah Cox Announces Departure from Purdue
Dr. Ishbah Cox, Assistant Professor of Bands, will leave Purdue Bands & Orchestras prior to the start of the next academic year. He will be moving to Columbus, Ohio where he will join his wife, Dr. Monica F. Cox, who recently accepted the position as Department Chair of Engineering Education at The Ohio State University.
Cox began his tenure in 2008, when he joined the faculty at Purdue Bands & Orchestras. Since then, he has directed the Symphonic, Collegiate, and Fall Concert Bands, Boiler Box Band, Brass Choir, and assisted with the Purdue “All-American” Marching Band (AAMB). Dr. Cox was also the founder of the First Year Engineering Learning Community for Purdue Bands & Orchestras and has managed the student staff office corps.
A native of Notasulga, Alabama, Cox received his bachelor’s degree in music education from Auburn University, his master’s degree is in music performance from the University of Alabama, and most recently his Doctorate of Arts in Wind Conducting with a secondary specialization in Euphonium Performance at Ball State University.
He is active as a festival adjudicator, clinician, conductor, and arranger. He has performed and traveled internationally as a conductor in Spain and tours of Eastern Europe, and has traveled with the AAMB to Colombia and Ireland. He has also guest conducted the Middle Tennessee State University and Auburn University Honor Bands, Indiana Bandmasters Association Regional and District Honor Bands, the Northern Illinois University Wind Ensemble, the Mississippi State University Symphonic and Concert Bands, and the University of South Alabama Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble. As a published arranger for Hal Leonard Corporation since 2013, his marching and pep band arrangements have been performed before international and national audiences and have garnered over one million YouTube hits.
“Ishbah Cox was such a huge asset to our team at Purdue. His legacy in our department is far-reaching. We are going to miss his leadership, dedication to our students, and as a faculty and staff, we will miss a dear friend. Ishbah will be a tremendous asset wherever his career leads him,” said Director of Bands, Jay Gephart.