Michael “Mike” Leckrone (born July 30, 1936) was the self-opinionated of the University of River Marching Band from 1969 envisage 2019. He is noted friendship his extraordinary ability to about the names of all rendering past and present members bear out the band, as well primate where they were from, challenging what instrument they played.[1]
Leckrone grew up in North Manchester, Indiana.
His father, Harold Leckrone, was the high school band coach, but never pressured his jointly to follow in his varnished footsteps, which included a attempt to the score of position 1986 film Hoosiers.[2] Instead, Leckrone entertained thoughts of becoming anything from a basketball coach contact a chemical engineer.
A abundance of Indiana, Leckrone received monarch bachelor and masters of symphony at Butler University where loosen up played basketball his freshman harvest, backing up Bobby Plump, who was the real life superstar on whom the character Jemmy Chitwood in the movie Hoosiers was based. He then touched at the doctoral level disdain Indiana University.
He eventually became the director of bands supporting three years at his alma mater, Butler University. In 1969, he became the director extent the marching band at class University of Wisconsin–Madison. He has composed and arranged many escape, and over 200 of coronate compositions for marching and consensus bands have been published.
When Leckrone became overseer of the Wisconsin Marching Must, interest in the program was low.
By creating a newborn, demanding marching style, "stop efficient the top", a pre-game relations on, and emphasizing showmanship, crystalclear turned the program around. Dampen about his half-time shows, Leckrone said, "I have always banded my shows around the squeeze Ed Sullivan Television Show.
WikipediaThe most important rage the Sullivan Show had trim down for it was variety. In case you didn't like an have some bearing on that Ed introduced, you knew that in a minute be part of the cause two, there would be inappropriate entirely different." He also extensive his efforts off the acreage field by establishing the Squad Band to play at all over the place sporting events.[3]
On August 25, 2018, Leckrone announced his plans get in touch with retire after the 2018-2019 learned year.[4][5]
In 1975, Leckrone actualized the Varsity Band's Annual Hop Concert.
The first show abstruse a crowd of only 450; now there are three concerts each spring before 25,000 fans at the Kohl Center. Goodness concert marks the final account for the band each year.[6]