Few individuals have had as profound an impact on the look and sound of modern marching bands as Dr. John T. Finley. Upon taking over as Director of the Jacksonville State Teacher's College Band, Dr. Finley immediately made several major innovations.
Among these changes were the adoption of the Conn 20-J Tuba as the bass instrument in the band, rather than the more commonly used sousaphone. This, along with the use of other large bore brass instruments, made a dramatic change in the sound of the band, from the brassy, homogenous sound of most other military style marching bands to a darker, symphonic sound more reminiscent of an indoor brass choir.
Dr. Finley used this change in timbre to full advantage, choosing to forego the traditional Sousa-style marches in favor of works written originally for symphonic band. Using this music on the field was practically unheard of at the time, but the results were dramatic. In 1956, the Jacksonville State Southerners and Marching Ballerinas (another Finley innovation), took the field for the first time, to a standing ovation.
Because of Dr. Finley's tireless dedication toward making marching band more of a musical art form, the Brothers of Epsilon Nu are proud to name the award for High Overall Music at the Southern Classic Marching Contest in his honor: The Dr. John T. Finley Award for Musical Excellence.
| Past Winners | ||
| Year | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Wheeler HS | Marietta, GA |
| 1997 | Sprayberry HS | Marietta, GA |
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