DR. MARY LAND

Dr. Mary Land is Associate Professor of Music and Director of Instrumental Music Education at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She conducts the University Concert Band and teaches courses in instrumental music education. Prior to this position, she was Director of Bands and Instrumental Music Education at Young Harris College in Young Harris, Georgia. Before moving to higher education, Dr. Land was a public-school band director in Georgia for over twenty-five years where she developed an outstanding band program in Pickens County, Georgia. Bands under Mary Land’s direction have received invitations to perform at numerous music conferences and clinics. 

Dr. Land earned her Educational Doctorate (Ed.D) from the University of Georgia, her Master of Music Education degree from Vandercook College of Music in Chicago, Illinois, and her Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Georgia. She has served as the President of the Georgia Music Educators Association and the state of Georgia’s CNAfME chair. In Michigan, Dr. Land has served as the National Band Association state chair and the Michigan Music EducationAssociation’s CNAfME chair. Dr. Land serves on the Board of Directors for the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic and is a member of the Zeta Chapter of Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity. Dr. Land is also on the faculty of the prestigious Interlochen Arts Camp as the conductor of the Intermediate Wind Symphony.

Dr. Land is an active adjudicator, conductor, and clinician throughout the United States and serves as a clinician for the Conn Selmer Division of Education. Her professional affiliations include: MSBOA, NAfME, IAJE, CBDNA, Pi Kappa Lambda American Honor Society (for students and professors of music), and Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Professional Teacher Association. Dr. Land is also a member of the National Band Association (NBA) and has served as a national representative on the NBA Executive Board of Directors. 

Many professional awards and recognitions have been presented to Dr. Land during her career. She was recently awarded The Distinguished Alumni Award from the Vandercook College of Music. Many issues of The Instrumentalist magazine have featured Dr. Land, discussing her teaching techniques, her band program in the public schools, and her band program at Young Harris College. She has been presented the National Band Association Citation of Excellence on twelve separate occasions and has been presented the Women Band Directors International Scroll of Excellence five times. Dr. Land was awarded the GMEA Music Educator of the Year Award in 2012 and was presented with the John Philip Sousa Foundation Legion of Honor Award at the 2012 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic for her contributions to music education. Mary Land was selected by the national publication School Band and Orchestra in their December 2013 issue as one of “50 Directors Who Make a Difference”. Dr. Land’s band program at Pickens County Middle School (PCMS) was the recipient of the Georgia Senate Resolution 212 commending its success. Additionally, under her direction, the PCMS Band was the recipient of the Magna Cum Laude Award, a prestigious international award for middle school bands. 

Dr. Land is the co-author of the newly published GIA instrumental music education textbook, Habits of a Successful Music Education Student. She is also published in the National Band Association Journal, The Instrumentalist, Teaching Music (NAfME), the School Band and Orchestra Magazine, and the GIA series Teaching Music Through Performance in Band. Commissioning projects include works by Sam Hazo, Bill Locklear, Barry Kopetz, and Christopher Tucker.