SFA names 2009 Band Directors' Hall of Fame inductee

David Lee Lambert, will be inducted into the SFA Band Directors' Hall of Fame and guest conduct at SFA's "Concert in the Park" on Sunday, May 3, on the SFA campus.

NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS - David Lee Lambert, Stephen F. Austin State University alumnus and former assistant director of bands for the Nacogdoches Independent School District, will be recognized during the SFA bands' "Concert in the Park" on Sunday, May 3, as the 2009 inductee into the SFA Band Directors' Hall of Fame.

During the concert, Lambert will direct the SFA Wind Ensemble in Joseph Wagner's "Under the Double Eagle." The concert begins at 2 p.m. outside the Tom and Peggy Wright Music Building on the SFA campus. Admission is free.

Lambert, who served 33 years as a music educator, earned two degrees from SFA. He received his Bachelor of Music in 1971 and his Master of Arts with a concentration in music theory and composition in 1973. He studied percussion and band methods with Mel Montgomery and composition with Dr. Richard A. Coolidge.

After working for the Nacogdoches school district, Lambert served as the assistant director of bands in the Fort Bend Independent School District at both Dulles Middle School and Dulles High School and then as the director of bands at Dulles High School.

In 1985, he became the director of fine arts for the FBISD and held that position until he retired in 2004. During his tenure, the district's bands and orchestras were recognized with three honor performances at the Texas Music Educators Association's conference and received 15 invitations to perform at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago.

Lambert, who is an active adjudicator, clinician and consultant, served as the concert band vice president for the Texas Music Adjudicators Association from 2003 to 2007 and is presently serving as president of that organization. He also serves as the executive secretary for Region 17 of the University Interscholastic League. He holds the same position in the Texas chapter of Phi Beta Mu, the international bandmasters fraternity, and is the immediate past-president of that organization.

The Texas Music Administrators Conference named him Texas Music Administrator of the Year for 2001-2002, and the Texas Thespian Conference named him Outstanding Administrator for 2001-2002. In 2003, he was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award for Music Administration from the Texas Bandmasters Association.

"It is a pleasure to honor the career of David Lambert by inducting him into the Hall of Fame at SFA," said Fred J. Allen, SFA director of bands. "He is known throughout the state and beyond as a fine music educator and leader in our profession. Having him conduct the Wind Ensemble at the Concert in the Park gives us a chance to honor him publicly for all his fine work and loyalty to SFA."