A thank you to the Texas Bandmasters Association for open arms of inclusion as we become part of your 2008 Summer Conference!

Today the Women Band Directors International serves the contemporary woman, a woman with dedication and service. Our support toward the young band director is stellar. We are proud to offer eleven scholarships which serve the future band/educator this year. Any collegiate woman who pledges to become a band director can receive assistance with their training by an online application. Our web site
www.womenbanddirectors.org will give a deep insight into our organization.

Former Texas Tech student Christy Gibons, (now band director), sites the following facts everyone should know about Women Band Directors International.

Gibbons says, "Women Band Directors International was established by Gladys Stone Wright. It was originally called the Women Band Directors National Association. Mrs. Wright wanted to establish an organization where women band directors were located, what they did, who they were, what they looked like, and how they solved their unique problems as band directors. She was also inspired by a collection of photographs of six women band directors that were posted in the office of the Daniel Boone Music Camp. They were posted by Kate Hawkins, wife of the camp director Dr. Robert Hawkins, after Dr. Hawkins had gathered some material to present a talk to encourage the girls in the band at Blue Blazer High School to become band directors.

"Gladys met with some women enrolled in adult band methods classes at the camp. They seemed enthusiastic about the forming of a women's band directors organization so in 1967 she placed a notice in the program at the Midwest Band Clinic in Chicago for a meeting to begin forming the organization. Unfortunately, only one other woman attended this meeting— Dorothy Stewart. However, this did begin the journey of WBDI.

"A year later at the same clinic/ convention a few more women gathered for the meeting and elected a slate of officers. The first officers were: Gladys Stone Wright-President, Charlotte Folan- Vice President, Blanch Kangas- Secretary/Treasurer, Eleanor Padly- Membership Chair, and Dorothy Stewart-Historian. This group continued work on forming the organization and by 1969 the Women Band Directors National Association had been officially established with a membership of 53 women. The name was changed in 1997 to Women Band Directors International in order to include the members who had joined from outside the United States. The membership has grown to approximately 350 members and 28 corporate members."

The purpose of the organization:

Women Band Directors International is an organization in which every woman band director is represented at the international level regardless of the length of her experience, or the level at which she works. It is the only international organization for women band directors and is intended to serve as an association which supports, promotes, and mentors women in the band field.

WBDI currently produces two publications The Woman Conductor, and Women of the Podium.

Our summer hosts for 2008 are Barbara Lambrecht and Bethann Adams. There are plans of a clinic panel discussion where mainstream topics will target our struggles and common issues. WBDI reaches out to many areas of the United States in order to build a strong and broad base of members.

As dedicated band directors, our members hope to create unique opportunities for other women. Our dream is to see you in San Antonio at the TBA Convention/Clinic. "The Eyes of Texas are upon us." WBDI meetings will be held July 26-27, 2008.

See you in July!

Debbie

WBDI is an organization in which every woman band director is represented at the international level regardless of the length of her experience, or the level at which she works. It is the only international organization for women band directors and is intended to serve as an association which supports, promotes, and mentors women in the band field.