COL Hal Gibson
(US Army, Ret.)

Hal Gibson is a consummate musician with wide experience as a professional performer, teacher and conductor. He is a 33-year Army veteran with service dating back to Word War II when he served in the South Pacific, and he is now the senior bandleader of all of our military branches. He is also the longest-serving member of the prestigious American Bandmasters Association, and in 2018 he was named its Honorary Life Member. He has conducted bands at every level of the Army including the Military Academy at West Point where he also conducted the Cadet Glee Club, and he was the commander and conductor of the Army’s premier “showcase” touring band, The U.S. Army Field Band. In 1974 he was selected from the bandleaders of all services, both active and retired, to form and conduct a Department of Defense Band which would represent the nation’s military forces during the period of the Bicentennial celebrations. It was the only military band ever comprised of members from all five services, Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard. This band performed in all states, and played in every state capital. 

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     Following this assignment, he retired from the military, and was appointed Director of Bands and professor at Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia. Here he formed one of the finest Wind Ensembles in the Southeast. Upon retiring from this position, he was named Professor Emeritus by the Georgia Board of Regents, and when the Schwob School of Music moved into its new state of the art music building in the RiverCenter (sic) the rehearsal hall was named in his honor. In 2004 he was installed in the National Hall of Fame for Distinguished Band Conductors, and in 2011 he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree.   In 2021 he became the first recipient of the NBA’s Al and Gladys Wright Legacy Award.

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     In 1993 he and his wife Marie moved to Melbourne and he formed the Space Coast Winds which performed at the annual convention of the American Bandmasters Association. He has been actively involved with the Melbourne Municipal Band and has frequently performed with both the Concert Band and Swingtime.