MACB Organization
macb conductors
Mr. Vanable H. Moody, Sr., Associate Director
Mr. Allen Ward, Jr. Associate Director
|
Mr. Vanable H. Moody, Sr., MACB associate director, was named director of bands at Atlanta’s Frederick Douglass High School when it was established in 1968, and he was a mainstay of the school’s music program for the next 41 years, until his retirement. He organized and developed the school’s band program¬—down to designing the band uniforms and writing the school song. At Douglass, Mr. Moody achieved Teacher of the Year and was named an 11Alive “Teaching Excellence” Class Act Winner. He is a member of the Music Educators National Conference and the Georgia Association of Educators. Before going to Douglass, he played alto sax with the 36th Army Band at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, where he arranged and composed music for the jazz band.
Mr. Moody earned his master’s degree at Vander Cook College of Music and undergraduate degree in music at Clark College. He plays alto sax when not conducting and was instrumental in shaping and improving MACB’s alto and tenor sax sections. |
|
Mr. Allen Ward, Jr., MACB associate director, served as Director of Bands at Atlanta’s Booker T. Washington (BTW) High School for 18 years where his bands received superior ratings in marching and concert band activities. Under his leadership, BTW bands performed four Atlanta Falcons half-time shows and special performances for the Atlanta Hawks and Braves. In 1986, the BTW marching band represented Atlanta as the Official Coca-Cola Band during the Coca-Cola Centennial Celebration held in Atlanta. Mr. Ward’s jazz band was the first high school band to perform at the Atlanta Jazz Festival at Piedmont Park. During Mr. Ward’s tenure, BTW marching bands won the Governor’s Award and Most Outstanding Band Award in WSB-TV’s Salute to America parades. His marching bands can also be seen in Spike Lee’s “School Daze” movie as well as a McDonald’s Arch Deluxe commercial. Mr. Ward has received the Certificate of Merit from Atlanta mayors Andrew Young and Bill Campbell for musical contributions to the City of Atlanta.
Classically trained as a trumpeter, Mr. Ward now plays exclusively the euphonium with MACB. Mr. Ward is a member of the National Association of Music Education, Georgia Music Educators Association, National Band Association, Kappa Delta Pi Education Honor Society, the Minority Band Directors Association, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He received his bachelor's degree in music from Clark College, master’s in music degree from Georgia State University, and the educational specialist degree from Jacksonville State University. |
MACB Musicians |
