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Jonathan Waters named Director of Marching Band |
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Congratulations to Jonathan Waters, who was named Director of Marching and Athletic Bands at The Ohio State University in early October. Mr. Waters had served as Interim Director of the bands for the first half of this season. |
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| Joseph Steinmetz, Dean of the OSU Colleges of Arts and Sciences, and Richard L. Blatti, Director of the OSU School of Music, made the announcement at the rehearsal of the marching band in the Joan Zieg Steinbrenner Band Center in Ohio Stadium. Blatti shared in a message to the School of Music community that "[the band's] response was similar to the public response [they] have been receiving all season under Jon's leadership...enthusiastic, sustained, and triumphant. After years of speculation, I am thrilled to make this announcement...I know you will join me in congratulating Jon Waters in this exciting new role for him in this, his 11th year with the marching band." |
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| Caitlin Essig and John Wernecke, staff editors for The Lantern, wrote: |
| Jon Waters had the interim dropped from his title when he was officially named the Ohio State Marching Band’s director Wednesday afternoon. |
| News of Waters’ promotion comes just days after the video of the band’s halftime show from the Buckeyes’ Saturday game against Nebraska went viral. A video of OSUMB’s show, a tribute to video games, had more than 7 million views on Youtube as of Wednesday. |
| “Personally I’m just very surprised that this has gained the legs it has with all the media around the world,” Waters told The Lantern Tuesday. |
| Joseph Steinmetz, executive dean and vice provost of the College of Arts and Sciences, said in a Wednesday press release that Waters’ success as a band director is evident. |
| “Jon has been an instrumental part of our university’s great marching band for many years, and it’s obvious today how successfully he is building on the band’s excellence as evidenced by the outstanding performances that we have seen this season,” Steinmetz said. “I can’t imagine a better fit for our marching band than Jon. He will carry on — and strengthen — the traditions built by Jon Woods, who retired last year.” |
| A tweet sent from OSU President E. Gordon Gee’s twitter account @presidentgee at 4:55 p.m. Wednesday shared his excitement about the hire. |
| “A big ‘O-H!’ for Jon Waters, officially named the Director of our Ohio State Marching Band! Well-deserved, indeed. #TBDBITL,” the tweet said. |
| Waters is an OSU and OSUMB alumnus. Waters was named interim director of OSUMB in September 2011, and has worked with the band since 2000. |
| “Obviously it’s big. It’s huge. Jon Waters being promoted is a huge step for the longevity of the program,” said Brandon Kimbro, a graduate student in kinesiology and snare drum player. “He’s been a part of the program for like 11 years or so. He’s had an active role in day-to-day life all five years I was in the band. So this just kind of solidifies that the band is going to be as solid, and will only get better than it is now.” |
| Kimbro said he is excited to see where Waters will take the band in the future. |
| “I know that in my time working with him, his whole idea is tradition through innovation. Jon has always been a creative thinker, right on the forefront of great shows and great creativity.” |
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