by Meryl Mantione

Larry N. McWilliams, Professor of Music Performance, joined the Ball State University School of Music faculty in 1970 as a trumpet instructor, member of DaCamera Brass Quintet (a faculty chamber music ensemble) and the Muncie Symphony Orchestra, and as Director of the Jazz Studies program.  After 37 years of extraordinary service, he retired at the end of the 2006-2007 academic year.

Under his direction, the Jazz Lab Ensemble, the main performing group in the jazz program, built the reputation of being one of the finest collegiate jazz bands in the country. It has gained regional, national and international attention by participating in numerous jazz festivals including the Elmhurst Jazz Festival in Chicago, Notre Dame Jazz Festival, Mobile National Collegiate Jazz Festival, and the Kansas City Conservatory Jazz Festival.  The band has also participated in international jazz festivals such as the Monteux Jazz Festival, Switzerland; the Lyon/Vienne Jazz Festival, France; the Umbria Jazz Festival, Italy, and the North Sea Jazz Festival, The Netherlands. Many alumni members of the Jazz Lab Ensemble who are playing professional music today were recipients of Most Outstanding and Over-all Winner awards from these festivals.

During his years at Ball State University, McWilliams has become a leading adjudicator, clinician and trumpet soloist for many high school and college jazz festivals throughout the Midwest. He created the Indiana All-State Jazz Band for the Indiana chapter of IAJE. McWilliams also developed the very successful high school "Dimensions In Jazz" Festival, which just completed its 34^th year at Ball State University.

Prior to joining the School of Music faculty, McWilliams had extensive performing experience with name bands and well-known Broadway shows such as the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Glenn Miller Orchestra, Hello, Dolly and Cabaret. Other performing experiences include freelance work in New York and Las Vegas.  He has toured with many major stars, including Johnny Mathis, Henry Mancini, Pia Zadora, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Perry Como, Tony Bennett, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra Jr., the Spinners, the Temptations, Red Skelton and others.

Larry has demonstrated his commitment to teaching and to the School of Music at Ball State University in many ways over his long and distinguished career.  While he is retiring from full-time teaching, he will continue to teach part-time, sharing his expertise and experience with his students and his colleagues for many years to come.