Purdue News

October 6, 1995 Purdue 'All-American' Marching Band Is Best In The Land WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Without missing a beat, Purdue University's "All-American" Marching Band is parading to the front of the pack as the recipient of the Sudler Trophy – the most prestigious award a college marching band can receive. Purdue, whose 390-member band is one of the largest in the country, is the first institution without a school of music to receive the award. "This is the Heisman Trophy of college marching bands," said David A. Leppla, director of university bands. "It's the only important recognition out there for university marching bands, and we are truly honored to receive it. When your peers bestow such a tremendous honor on you, it has very special meaning for the program." The Sudler Trophy, presented annually since 1982 by the John Philip Sousa Foundation, is made possible by a grant from Louis and Virginia Sudler, long-time supporters of the foundation. Louis Sudler, who died in 1991, appeared nationally as a soloist with numerous symphony orchestras, concert bands and the Chicago Civic Opera. He was chairman emeritus of the Orchestral Association for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for 10 years. The award is based on the responses of hundreds of NCAA Division I marching band directors across the United States who are asked to rank the top three marching bands in the country according to these criteria: demonstration of the highest musical standards; innovative marching routines and ideas; and important contributions to the advancement of the performance standards of college marching bands over a period of several years. "This award recognizes long – term excellence," Leppla said. "It's based on the efforts you make year in and year out – not just what you did last year. That makes it a true reflection of the quality of your program. "The quality of our programs is so high, people are often quite surprised to find out Purdue has no school of music," Leppla said. "Students come to Purdue to get a top-notch education from a nationally recognized university. When they get here and realize Purdue has a musical organization that is recognized as one of the best in the country, it's an added bonus for them." The trophy will be presented by Virginia Sudler at a special ceremony during halftime of the Oct. 14 Homecoming game against Penn State. Former marching band directors, including Al G. Wright and William C. Moffit, will be on hand to be honored for their part in making the award possible. In addition to a traveling trophy, the university also will receive a plaque for permanent display. Each former band director will receive a personalized plaque, and each member of the band will receive a personalized certificate. Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu