The Sudler Shield



An International Award Recognizing High School, Youth, and International Marching Bands of World Class Excellence


The Sudler Shield Award is endowed by Louis and Virginia Sudler



2023 Sudler Shield Recipients 


“USA Large School Division” Bands:


1. Bentonville High School Band – Bentonville, Arkansas


Timothy Hendrix, Director of Bands


2. Bridgeland High School Band – Cypress, Texas


Shawn McAnear, Director of Bands


3. O’Fallon Township High School Band - O’Fallon, Illinois


Melissa Gustafson-Hinds, Director of Bands


4. Waxahachie High School Band – Waxahachie, Texas


Rich Armstrong, Director of Bands


2023 Sudler Shield Recipients 


“USA Small School Division” Bands:


1. Estill County High School Band - Irvine, Kentucky


Jason Bowles, Director of Bands


Purpose


1. To establish and support international standards of excellence in musical performance, marching execution, choreography, and show design for high school, youth, or international marching bands.
2. To identify, recognize, and honor outstanding high school, youth, and international marching bands who are at a world class level of excellence. 


Procedure


1. The award is open to any high school, youth, or international marching band in any country regardless of geographical location, religious or political belief, race, color, or ethnic background.



2. Nominations will be received from any source, and at any time, by the Sousa Foundation. The deadline for submitted materials to be received (not postmarked) is the first Friday in December.


3. The Sudler Shield Jury (after viewing videos and supporting materials submitted by the nominees) will make the selection(s).



4. Materials to be submitted:


a) A properly executed nomination form


b) One (high camera preferred, but not required) high quality video from the current (nomination) school year
) One or two page resume or fact sheet of the marching band (no notebooks please).


5. There is no entry fee.



6. The current marching band director must have been incumbent in his/her present position as marching band director for the past five years preceding the year of nomination. The marching band may be nominated during the sixth year of the director’s tenure.



7. The video performance should be of a field show performed on a regulation American or Canadian football field, on a European soccer field, or in an appropriate indoor venue. The area of performance should be one that is accepted as a standard marching band facility in the home venue of the nominated band.



8. A previous Sudler Shield recipient may not re-apply unless there is a new director. The new director must have been in his/her position for a minimum of five years (see number 6 above).



9. The recorded performance must have taken place during the calendar year in which the video is submitted. It must be a continuous recording, of a single performance, without editing. The minimum duration of the performance is six minutes. The maximum length of the performance is twelve minutes. For timing purposes, the performance will start whenever the band begins either its music or movement on the field. A specific performance recording (video) may not be submitted more than once.



10. All members of the nominated band must be regularly enrolled students in the high school or regular members of the youth band as it is organized.



11. The jury will evaluate nominations at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic (Chicago, Illinois, USA) each December. Award winners will be advised as soon as possible after the selection by telephone or email.



12. There is no specific number of marching bands to be honored each year. However, the highest standards of excellence will be in effect during the selection process and only qualified bands will be selected.



13. Nomination forms may be obtained by writing Professor W. Dale Warren at the address list below or via his email:
wdwarren@uark.edu


14. All nomination forms, videos, and other materials should be received (not postmarked) by the first Friday in December. Please send to:

Professor W. Dale Warren, Sudler Shield Chairman, Senior Wind Band Conductor
, University of Arkansas, 
205 Lewis E. Epley Band Building, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701


15. Videos and other materials submitted may not be returned at the option of the Sousa Foundation. The applicant grants the Sousa Foundation the privilege of making a copy of its video for the Foundation. The applicant agrees that the Sousa Foundation will not be held responsible or liable for loss or damage to the materials or to the video.


Award


1.The Sudler shield award will consist of (1) a silver shield mounted on a handsome 8X11 inch (or larger) wooden plaque for the organization, (2) a miniature plaque for the director, (3) a diploma of honor for the director, and (4) an honor certificate for each member of the band.


2. The presentation of the award to the band will be scheduled at an important musical event and at a time and place convenient to the recipient and others concerned. Other than providing the awards, the Sousa Foundation will not be responsible for any presentation costs.


Administration


The Sudler Shield award will be administered by the John Philip Sousa Foundation and implemented by the executive committee through the project chair, Professor W. Dale Warren of the University of Arkansas, United States.


The Jury


1. The jury will be nominated by the project chair with the advice and approval of the executive committee.


2. The jury will be composed of not less than ten and not more than twenty-five band directors of national and international reputation in the marching band field.


3. No member of the jury, the Sousa Foundation, nor other persons will receive any renumeration.


Dr. Tim Allshouse 
Director of Bands
Blue Springs High School, Missouri
Greg Bimm
Director of Bands
Marian Catholic High School, Illinois (retired)
Brian Britt
Director of Athletic Bands/Associate Dean College of Fine Arts
University of Oklahoma
Dr. Andrea E. Brown
Associate Director of Bands/Director of Athletic Bands
University of Maryland College Park, MD
Bob Buckner
Director of Athletic Bands
Western Carolina University, North Carolina (retired)
Dr. Shelby Chipman
Director of Bands/Professor of Music
Florida A&M University  Tallahassee, FL
Darrin Davis
Director of Bands
Broken Arrow High School, Oklahoma
 Paul Doop 
Managing Director/Owner of a Consultancy firm specialized in Customer Strategy and Change Management
The Netherlands
Amanda Drinkwater
Director of Fine Arts
Lewisville, Texas Independent School District
Robert Eklund
President & CEO
WAMSB International Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Randy Greenwell
Conn-Selmer, Inc. Division of Education
Education Support Manager, Indiana
Chris Herard
Consultant
Fine and Performing Arts - Calgary Catholic School District
Tang Chia Hoe
Director of Bands
Keat Hwa High School & Sultanah Asma High School Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia
Jo Ann Hood 
Director of Bands
John Overton High School, Tennessee (retired)
Uichi Kajiyama
Conductor
Nagoya University of Commerce & Business          Nagoya, Japan
Dr. Brad McDavid
Director of Athletic Bands
University of Washington
John Miller
Director of Bands 
American Fork High School, Utah (retired)
 Dr. J. Steven Moore
Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies 
University of Miami, Florida (retired)
Joni Perez
Director of Bands
The Woodlands High School, Texas (retired)
 Richard Saucedo
 Director of Bands
Carmel High School, Indiana (retired)
David Starnes
Director of Orchestras
Kennesaw Mountain High School, Georgia
Dr. John Villella
Vice President for University Affairs/Chief of Staff
West Chester University, Pennsylvania (retired)
 W. Dale Warren, Chairman
Senior Wind Band Conductor/Professor of Music
University of Arkansas
Alfred Watkins
Director of Bands
Lassiter High School, Georgia (retired)
Dr. Nicholas Williams
Director of Bands
University of Georgia

Sudler Shield Jury Members Emeritus


Keith Barden
Director of Marching/Athletic Bands
Texas Tech University (retired) 
Dr. John Culvahouse
Professor of Music Education
Kennesaw State University, Georgia (retired)
Dr. Robert “Coach" Fleming
Associate Director of Bands
Arizona State University (retired)
Gordon Henderson
Director of Bands

University of California at Los Angeles (retired)  

Sudler Shield Jury Members at Rest


 ________________________________________________________________________


Dr. John M. Long

Dr. John M. Long was the Director of Bands at Troy State University, Alabama (retired). Dr. Long is remembered and honored by his fellow jury members for his many years of tireless dedication and service to the Sudler Shield Committee and to the John Philip Sousa Foundation.


 ________________________________________________________________________


Dr. George N. Park

George N. Parks was the Director of the Marching Band and Athletic Bands at the University of Massachusetts. Professor Parks is remembered and honored by his fellow jury members for his many years of tireless dedication and service to the Sudler Shield Committee and to the John Philip Sousa Foundation.


 ________________________________________________________________________


Dr. Jon R. Woods

Dr. Jon R. Woods was the Director of the Marching Band and Athletic Bands at The Ohio State University. Dr. Woods is remembered and honored by his fellow jury members for his many years of tireless dedication and service to the Sudler Shield Committee and to the John Philip Sousa Foundation.


 ________________________________________________________________________


Dr. Joseph H. Allison

Dr. Joseph H. Allison was the Director of Research and Outreach at Eastern Kentucky University. Dr. Allison is remembered and honored by his fellow jury members for his many years of timeless dedication and service to the Sudler Shield Committee and to the John Phillip Sousa Foundation.


 ________________________________________________________________________


Dr. Robert "Coach" Fleming

Dr. Robert “Coach" Fleming was Professor of Music, Associate Director of Bands, and Director of Marching Band at Arizona State University. Dr. Fleming is remembered and honored by his fellow jury members for his many years of tireless dedication and service to the Sudler Shield Committee and to the John Philip Sousa Foundation.


 


Previous Recipients of the Sudler Shield Award



Sudler Shield Award Photographs


Estill County High School, Irvine, Kentucky



2022 Chr. Muziekvereniging Door Vriendschap Sterk (DVS) Marching Band, The Netherlands Presentation Photographs



2022 Ratchasima Witthayalai Marching Band, Thailand Presentation Photographs



2022 William Mason High School Band, OH Presentation Photographs



2022 Anderson County, KY High School Band Presentation Photographs



2022 Beechwood, KY High School Band Presentation Photographs



2019 Adair County, KY Sudler Shield Presentation Photographs



2019 The Woodlands, TX Sudler Shield Presentation Photographs



2019 Carmel, IN Sudler Shield Presentation Photographs



2019 North Lamar, TX Sudler Shield Presentation Photographs



2018 Vista Ridge, TX Sudler Shield Presentation Photographs



2018 Flower Mound Sudler Shield Presentation Photographs



2018 Greendale Sudler Shield Presentation



2018 Morton Sudler Shield Presentation Pics for Website



2017 Vista Murrieta, CA Sudler Shield Award Concert Photographs



2016 Russell County, KY Award Photographs



2016 Castle, IN HS Sudler Shield Award Photographs



2016 Keat Hwa, Malaysia Sudler Shield Presentation Photographs



2016 Chien Kuo, Taiwan Sudler Shield Presentation Photographs



2015 Broken Arrow, OK Sudler Shield Presentation Photographs



2015 Keller, Texas Sudler Shield Presentation Photographs



2014, CT Johnson High School, TX, Sudler Shield Award Presentation Photographs



2014, Round Rock High School, TX, Sudler Shield Award Presentation Photographs