TALLAHASSEE, FL – On Monday, August 18, 2003, Secretary of State Glenda E. Hood will induct the legendary band director Dr. William Patrick Foster into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame. The presentation and reception will take place from 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at the Foster-Tanner Band Room on the campus of Florida A&M University in Tallahassee. There will also be a special performance by the famous Marching “100” Band.

“It is an honor to recognize Dr. Foster for his contributions to all Floridians,” said Secretary Hood. “Through his unique artistic vision, FAMU’s Marching “100” Band has become a state legend, entertaining people all over the world with their exhilarating performances.”

Dr. William Patrick Foster, recognized as one of the world’s most renowned band directors, was the creator and band director of the internationally acclaimed Florida A&M University (FAMU) Marching “100” Band for more than 50 years. His innovative approach to marching band entertainment resulted in his own unique style of band pageantry, which dazzled millions and brought great recognition to the State of Florida. As an artist and an educator, Dr. Foster truly revolutionized marching band techniques and reshaped the perception of the art form.

Dr. Foster’s FAMU Marching “100” Band has entertained audiences all over the world. In 1989, the band was the official representative of the United States at the French Bastille Day Parade in Paris, which celebrated the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution. The band has also appeared in films, commercials, presidential inaugurations, magazine and newspaper articles, and has been featured in over thirty nationally-televised programs. In 1985, the band received the prestigious John Philip Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Trophy.

Others have recognized Dr. Foster’s accomplishments in band direction and education. He is a member of the Hall of Fame for several organizations including the National Association for Distinguished Band Conductors, the Florida Music Educators Association and the Afro-American Hall of Fame, to name just a few. In 1994, he was elected president of the American Bandmasters Association and in 1996, the U.S. Congress approved Dr. Foster’s presidential appointment to serve on the National Council on the Arts.

Since his retirement in 2001, Dr. Foster devotes most of his time to the William P. Foster Foundation, a non-profit organization created to give assistance to students in the Marching “100” Band, helping them financially achieve their goals and become successful in life.

Established by the Florida Legislature in 1986, the Florida Artists Hall of Fame recognizes persons, living or deceased, who have made significant contributions to the arts in Florida either as performing or practicing artists in individual disciplines. These individuals contribute to Florida's national and/or international reputation as a state with a strong and sustained commitment toward the development of cultural excellence. The Florida Artists Hall of Fame currently consists of 33 inductees, including musician and performer Ray Charles, writers Zora Neale Hurston, Tennessee Williams and Ernest Hemingway, and visual artists Duane Hanson, Robert Rauschenberg and James Rosenquist.

For general information about the Florida Artists Hall of Fame, please visit www.florida-arts.org or contact Wendy G. Moss at the Division of Cultural Affairs: 850/245-6472. Persons with disabilities, please dial Florida Relay at 711. This material is available in alternate formats upon request.

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