On Wednesday, November 14, 2007, the Wisconsin Foundation for School Music (WFSM) presented its second-ever Lifetime Achievement Award in Music to Mike Leckrone, UW-Madison Music Professor and Director of Bands.  A reception began at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the award presentation at 7:30 p.m., all at the Monona Terrace Exhibit Hall.

Highlights of the evening included speeches from Dr. Grant Manhart, Dr. Frank Tracz, former UW athletic director Pat Richter, State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster, and Tom Wopat.  Performances throughout the evening included UW band alumni, VSA arts of Wisconsin choir, and the UW Marching Band drum line.  Katy Sai served as the evening's emcee.  A special commemorative video was shown and a proclamation declaring November 14, 2007 "Mike Leckrone Day" in Wisconsin was read. 

See special video highlights

courtesy of StoryBridge.tv

WFSM established the Lifetime Achievement Award to celebrate the reach of music education. The award salutes Wisconsin natives or residents who have made outstanding contributions to music and/or music education throughout their lives.

Mike Leckrone deserves this prestigious award because:

• He has energetically inspired countless people of all ages and abilities to make music an integral part of their lives.
• He exemplifies that the study of music develops creativity, self-expression, discipline and teamwork.
• He is an icon for musical excellence and through his energy, inspires others to reach for the same high standard in whatever they do.
• As a leader, Mike Leckrone has strongly influenced generations of people throughout the state (and beyond) to study music and/or become supporters of music education.
• He brings the “wow factor” to music education.

The first WFSM Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Les Paul in 2004 for his innovation and inspiration to music and music education.  Paul accepted the award among distinguished guests which included Governor Jim Doyle and First Lady Jessica Doyle, State Superintendent of Education Elizabeth Burmaster, rocker Steve Miller, Ben Sidran, the band Garbage, and many other notable guests and attendees.

Proceeds from the Lifetime Achievement Award presentation will support the naming of the Band Library in Mike’s honor at the Wisconsin Center for Music Education.  Additional proceeds will also endow a chair in Mike’s name in the Wisconsin State Honors Music Project.

A special "thank you" to our sponsors:

Produced by Dennis Graham Associates

Additional thanks to:

WKOW

Wisconsin Public Television

Meg Communications

Wisconsin State Journal/Capital Times

Felly's Flowers

Biography:

Michael Leckrone is the Director of the Marching Band and Director of Bands at the University of Wisconsin. A native of Indiana, Mr. Leckrone received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Butler University in Indianapolis and has continued his studies at the doctoral level at Indiana University. Before coming to Wisconsin he taught at his alma mater, where he developed one of the finest marching bands in the Midwest. He is in constant demand as a clinician, guest conductor and adjudicator for concert and marching bands throughout the United States and Canada, and his experience also includes considerable professional work as an arranger, composer and performer.

He holds memberships in numerous professional organizations, as well as such honorary fraternities as Kappa Kappa Psi, Phi Mu Alpha, Phi Kappa Lambda, Phi Kappa Phi, and Phi Beta Mu. He is a 25 year member of ASCAP and has been elected to the American Bandmasters Association. In 1970 he was cited as an "Outstanding Educator of America" by the Outstanding Americans Foundation, in 1973 was awarded the "Outstanding Bandmaster Award" by the Wisconsin Chapter of Phi Beta Mu, and in 1986 was presented with a Citation of Excellence by the National Band Association. He is a recipient of the "Pat O'Dea Award", the "Blue Line Club Distinguished Service Award", the "Badger Basketball Boosters Distinguished Service Award," the UW Alumni Club "Distinguished Faculty Award," and the Wisconsin Newspaper Writers "Special Edition Award." Mr. Leckrone was recently inducted into the Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame and the Wisconsin Football Hall of Fame, he has been commissioned a "Kentucky Colonel" by the Governor of Kentucky, named a "Badger Legend" by the Governor of Wisconsin and was named one of 10 Madison Musical Legends by Madison Magazine. The University of Wisconsin has also honored him with an appointment to a prestigious "John Bascom Professorship."

Mr. Leckrone has composed or arranged music for numerous high school and university bands, and over 200 of his arrangements and compositions for marching band and concert band have been published. He is also the author of two texts for use by marching band directors, a handbook for band arranging and a text dealing with popular music in the United States. Mr. Leckrone is now in his 39th year as director of the Wisconsin Band.