Beginning this fall, Dr. Adam Dalton will assume the lead role in the Marching Thunder.
Formerly a high school and elementary school band teacher in Atlanta, Georgia, the new Director of Athletic Bands said he is excited and anxious to be teaching at the university level.
“It kind of just hits me,” Dalton said. “I think, ‘You’re director of athletic bands at a university right now.’ That’s a big deal!”
Marshall University School of Music and Theatre Director Dr. Richard Kravchak said Dalton’s wide range of experience, including working with the Million Dollar Band at the University of Alabama, to serving as one of the color guard captain heads with the renowned drum corps Madison Scouts, made him a great fit for the position.
“Professor Dalton will honor the beloved traditions of the Marching Thunder while bringing a contemporary excitement and energy to our performances,” Kravchak said. “We can’t wait for football season to start!”
A native of Virginia, Dalton earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Education at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He went on to receive a Master of Arts in Music Education and a Doctor of Musical Arts in instrumental conducting from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Dalton performed in every ensemble he could during his undergraduate studies, including the Marching Royal Dukes and the Wind Ensemble. While at the University of Alabama, he performed with the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps for three years, earning two world championships and a gold medal in individual and ensemble. He has also marched in various independent winter guards, consistently making the finals at Winter Guard International. His color guard teaching experience includes the world champion Phantom Regiment and the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps, as well as numerous winter guards around the southeast such as CrownGUARD and the University of Alabama Alta Marea.
For more information about Marshall University’s Marching Thunder, please visit http://www.marshall.edu/band.
