Giving to Purdue
University Development Office
AI G.Wright: Bandmaster, visionary, legend
Traditions unite us and connect us. They define our identity, and reveal our heart and soul.
If you've ever sat in Ross-Ade Stadium in the crisp fall air and heard, seen and felt the World's Largest Drum take its place on the football field. If you've ever watched Purdue’s Golden Girl or the Silver Twins twirl into the hearts of onlookers. If you’ve ever watched in awe as the "All-American" Marching Band created complicated formations while playing melodies that cause you to move with their rhythm.
Or if you’ve ever had a tear well in the corner of your eye while reciting I Am an American, thank Al G. Wright.
That’s exactly what a group of donors did when they established the Al G. Wright Chair of Purdue University Bands & Orchestras Endowment with funds matched one-to-one from the University’s Faculty Excellence Challenge Match.
Jay S. Gephart, the first director of bands to hold the title Al G. Wright Chair of Purdue University Bands & Orchestras, says, “Creating an endowed chair for Purdue Bands & Orchestras is one of the most important milestones in the 127-year history of this department. Al G. Wright is not only a Purdue icon but one of the greatest bandmasters in the country. We feel honored that Purdue University was willing to provide matching funds to make this dream a reality.”
Wright accepted the position of director of bands at Purdue University in 1954, with the responsibility of conducting the symphony band and the “All-American” Marching Band (AAMB). During his tenure, he transformed the AAMB into a show band by developing elaborate half-time shows and growing the auxiliaries into what they are today.
The impact Wright has had on the bands world is immeasurable. It can be seen in the traditions he created and in every performance of the Purdue Bands & Orchestras ensembles. And it is felt in the lives of the countless students he taught and mentored during his 27 years as a band director at Purdue.
Alumna Vanessa Castagna came to Purdue not only because of its stellar reputation but also because it was close to home, it offered her a chance to play clarinet in Concert Band, and it offered her the opportunity to be a twirler with the Purdue “All-American” Marching Band. “Al G. Wright instilled in each student he touched a tremendous sense of discipline, work ethic, duty, responsibility, and pride in performance.”
He required his students to study half-time and parade films each week in order to critique their own performances and enable them to motivate themselves to perform at their highest level.
But Bands is about more than marching, or twirling, or playing an instrument. Being part of Bands teaches students skills they will take with them throughout their lives. Castagna, who holds one of the three alumni seats on the Purdue University Board of Trustees, says, “You are out there with 300 of your best friends, and you need to know you can depend on one another. It teaches students to be dependable and to get along with others. It teaches leadership, camaraderie, and dedication. There is a commitment to doing it right.”
While serving as chair of the Band & Orchestra Advisory Board, Castagna and the board decided to create an endowment in Wright’s name and honor, and she spearheaded the effort to get the money raised. “We felt it appropriate to honor Al G. Wright because his influence on Purdue has been tremendous. Not only did he create the AAMB into a great brand ambassador for Purdue, but he helped band members to be better students.”
And they are.
Courtney Eash, director of alumni and donor relations for Purdue Bands & Orchestras, says, “We have 750 students from all majors. On average, students involved in Purdue Bands & Orchestras have a higher grade point average than the average Purdue student not participating in a band or orchestra ensemble.”
Endowed positions allow funds to be used in ways that would not have been otherwise available. “We believe this recognition and financial tool will benefit band and orchestra performances, travel opportunities, and instruction for generations to come,” says Castagna.
The impact of our actions is felt far beyond our own lives. Through the traditions he created, Al G. Wright orchestrated experiences that grow wider and deeper with each trumpet of the horn, toss of the baton, and bang of the drum.
