Pitt band director steps down, dynasty ensured for future

Jack R. Anderson’s first steps onto a Pitt home field took place before he could even physically pick up a drum.

“I’ve been here since I was 3 years old,” Anderson said.

Anderson, 64, works as Pitt’s band director — a leader in recreating Pitt’s on-field musical traditions and entertaining fans who religiously attend each season’s games. Anderson has greatly impacted many band members and Pitt students throughout his career. But after 18 years as full-time band director and 27 years total of dedication with his part-time assistant position included, Anderson has chosen to leave his respected position, marching into retirement.

Turning 65 in November, Anderson has a gray head of hair and kind eyes that squint to his hairline when he smiles. While working in his office before a Friday practice in September, he donned a Pitt hat and matching Pitt windbreaker — a signature look that preserved a sense of his devotion to his post even off the field. In his large office located in the Trees Hall band room, he has pictures lining the walls and armoires filled with awards and gifts from past students. He touched the photographs gently as he admired them, fondly looking at family members and musicians from the band. After such a long affiliation with the Pitt band, Anderson looked at home in the band room among the instruments and uniforms that the band uses at practice and on the field.

Growing up with Pitt

His father and namesake, Jack Anderson, worked as Pitt’s assistant band director from 1948 to 1970. Because of his father’s involvement, Anderson developed a huge respect and affection for the Pitt band and its role in the University. As a fan of the band’s music and traditions, a young Anderson would frequently march along the field to the band’s music and choreography.

“So, basically, I grew up on the sidelines of Pitt football,” he said.

The Pitt band was assembled for the first time on Oct. 14, 1911, on Forbes Field at the Pitt versus Ohio Northern game, and it has played at football games since then under multiple band directors. The Pitt students in the band spend each night of the week preparing and practicing for their pregame, halftime and game-time performances at the games.

Paul Bowers, a pharmacy major in his fifth year and this year’s Pitt band drum major — a coveted role in the band that demonstrates his student leadership and musical capability — knows of Anderson’s long affiliation with the band.

“It’s not the Pitt band, it’s the Jack R. Anderson band,” Bowers said.

For Bowers, the Pitt band and Anderson go hand-in-hand, and, with the band director’s well-known history, Bowers sees the organization intertwined with Anderson’s life.

“This is what he grew up with,” Bowers said, referring to how Anderson’s entire childhood was rooted in the band from the amount of time he spent on the sidelines with his father. When he was in fourth grade, Anderson would even perform the choreography for each week’s half-time show in front of his class. He had a miniature uniform he would wear to feel like one of the band, and after spending so much time at practices, Anderson learned the marches by heart.

“I’m a band geek,” he joked.

Anderson attended Pitt as an undergraduate, and while he studied music at Pitt, he played the drums in the marching band. Like current band students, Anderson felt the rush of excitement from the fans each time he entered onto the field.

“It’s something you never forget,” he said.

He graduated with a degree in music in 1970 — the same year as his father’s retirement — but he didn’t realize the management baton would one day be passed to him, though he did dream of one day holding the position.

In 1969, a year before his graduation, Anderson met his wife Peggy, a flute and piccolo player in the band who studied English. In 1970, the two graduated together, and in 1971, they were married.

From field to household

Once he left Pitt, Anderson continued on to Edinboro University to receive his master’s degree. In 1972, he graduated with his master’s in music and a certification in education so he could return to Pitt to teach.

Just because Anderson left the University to further his education doesn’t mean he left the Pitt band. During his time at Edinboro, Anderson did not miss a beat of the group’s action as he continued to participate as the band’s percussion director after his graduation until 1974 — a very important year in Anderson’s life.

In the fall of 1974, his wife Peggy became pregnant with their first child. At the time, the two lived in Greenville, Pa. That Thanksgiving, Pitt played Penn State at Three Rivers Stadium, but the in-state rivalry wasn’t the only thing that made the couple nervous.

Peggy was soon due with the couple’s child and was fearful that if Anderson left for the game, she would go into labor. Luckily, their firstborn would wait.

Anderson attended the iconic game to play in the band, and Peggy didn’t go into labor. On Dec. 7, 1974, baby Carrie was born, and Anderson knew he had to cut something from his life.

“Once that happened, I had to give something up, so I quit the Pitt band,” he said.

Katie, the Andersons’ second daughter, was born in 1977. The girls attended Pitt for their undergraduate studies and participated in the band. Carrie was a flutist and piccoloist in the marching band and an oboist in the concert band; Katie was a baritone hornist in the marching band.

Composing a career

Anderson began working at Keystone Oaks School District in the South Hills in 1977, first as a band director and later as a music teacher. In order to teach music, educators must be able to play and teach every instrument, Anderson explained. From kindergarten songs to the violin, Anderson had to have at least an understanding of every instrument, even if he couldn’t be an expert.

During his time as a music teacher, Anderson began working part-time as an assistant band director at Pitt in 1986, and in 1995, he left his position at Keystone and began to work full-time as Pitt’s band director, the same position he holds today.

Stephen Kendro, a radio chemistry supervisor in a lab at UPMC, was the first drum major under Anderson in 1995. Kendro, who majored in chemsitry, said Anderson was part of the reason he stayed in the band after his freshman year.

“When [Anderson] took over, there was a better retention of students, there was better recruiting, and we were playing better music,” Kendro said.

One of his favorite moments as drum major was during a Halloween-themed halftime show. The band performed a choreographed production to songs including the “Ghostbusters” theme and Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” Students dressed up in Halloween costumes, and the band turned the old Pitt football stadium’s field into the stage of a frightening musical production.

“It wouldn’t be college football without the band,” Kendro said.

Kendro explained that in 1995, there was a complete change in the athletic department at Pitt. Because it was the same year Anderson took over as band director, he had more free reign to make changes. And with Kendro as drum major, the two focused closely on teamwork, commitment and pride — all of which they centered on a foundation of discipline.

And through Anderson’s leadership, the band has grown considerably. Some students in the Pitt band have a high enough level of talent to study music at a more musically focused school, Anderson explained, but because they came to Pitt to study academic-based specialties, the band’s talent has increased significantly. Bowers, for example, has excelled as drum major but continues to stay dedicated to his demanding pharmacy major.

“We’ve grown in numbers and we’ve grown in quality,” Anderson said.

Tyler McGaughey, the band’s drum major from 2007 to 2009, often returns to help with the band’s practices. McGaughey graduated in 2010, and like Anderson, he has noticed a significant change in the talent of the students.

“The type of students are higher quality,” McGaughey said, commenting on the all-around performances of new recruits.

Spreading spirit through the crowd

Even with developments in marching band, Anderson continues to view the program’s main goal as a simple one: “We’re there to entertain,” Anderson said.

And in order to do that, the Pitt band needs help from alumni. McGaughey explained that all of the staff work as volunteers, except for the directors.

“We’re the guys that go find the problems and go out and fix them,” he said.

The home game process proves lengthy for fans, and the band strives to provide entertainment each step of the way. The Pitt band begins playing two hours before the game when it welcomes the football team to the field. Then it moves to the amphitheater for a pregame show and, afterward, it moves to the student tailgate at Jerome Bettis Grille 36, the parade and, finally, the on-field pregame show.

“We are part of the pageantry of college football,” he said.

Stepping down from the ladder

Despite the passion Anderson has for college football and the marching band he led for decades, he knows that it’s time for him to retire. Anderson has attended more than 50 years of band camps since his original affiliation with the organization, a challenging job for anyone because of the amount of physical activity that comes with learning the music, field formations and choreography fans get to see at home games.

“I don’t feel old emotionally, but there’s a lot of wear and tear on this body,” Anderson said.

That doesn’t mean the band wasn’t surprised at the announcement of his departure.

Bowers explained that the night that Anderson finally decided to announce to the entire band that he would retire at the end of the season was a tough one. As he stated his decision, many fifth-year members wiped their eyes, a tribute to the connection they’d established with the beloved director.

McGaughey expressed similar shock.

“It’s a surprise. It’s such a final thing,” he said.

But Anderson looks forward to retirement so he can take time to do things he hasn’t been able to in the past. Anderson and his wife plan to travel to Europe, or “wherever she wants to go,” he said.

Anderson also has two grandchildren and one more on the way, and he said they keep him occupied. Anderson’s grandson Andy turns 5 in October, and he already knows the music and choreography to the band’s songs. Jake, who turns 2 in December, has also showed interest in the band.

“The two boys already march and know all the songs. They go to band camp,” Anderson said. “They can march pregame on the sideline. I have to keep them off the field so they don’t get run over.”

McGaughey, who has known Anderson since his time in the band three years ago, doesn’t think that this ends the Anderson legacy.

“His grandkids will go to Pitt and will be in the band,” McGaughey said confidently.

And Anderson feels hopeful that they will act on the band gene and receive the same musical joy that he did in their potential future career.

“Not too many people get to realize their dream job. And since I was a little boy, this was what I wanted to do, and I got the opportunity to do it,” he said. “So, why wouldn’t I smile?”