Lenoir-Rhyne announces new director of bands

Lenoir-Rhyne University has named Tyler Stark to serve as the new director of bands and assistant professor of music, following the retirement of current director Neil Underwood in summer 2024. Stark currently serves as a graduate teaching associate and the instructional assistant for the University of Oklahoma marching band.

Most notably, Stark will bring enthusiastic leadership to the Spirit of LR Marching Band, which Underwood revived to great success in 2016. The 80-member ensemble is an integral part of the game-day experience for LR sports and performs regularly in parades, including an appearance in the 2023 National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in Washington, D.C. 

Among his other duties, Stark will direct the university’s Wind Symphony and provide instruction in instrumental music. He will also coordinate with local music educators and professional associations to promote LR’s music programs. 

After completing his bachelor’s degree in music education at Appalachian State University in 2015, Stark accepted a position as director of bands at Central Cabarrus High School in Concord, North Carolina. In 2022 he earned his master’s degree in instrumental wind conducting at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and in fall 2024 he will complete a doctoral program at the University of Oklahoma, earning a Doctor of Musical Arts degree. His experiences conducting and arranging for a variety of ensembles at all educational levels have honed a collaborative approach to education and ensemble performance.

“I believe the teaching and rehearsing process for wind bands should be a dialogue,” Stark commented. “Music education should be a collaborative experience that engages all students in music problem solving and expression, preparing students to develop the interpersonal and critical thinking skills needed in all vocations.”

This collaborative approach connects with Stark’s experiences performing traditional Irish music as he plays the bodrhán, a traditional Celtic drum. These experiences also influenced his research focus on the aural experience as part of musical learning, taking students beyond notation, or written music – which leads to dynamic and engaging instruction.

“Tyler’s advanced and innovative approach to the academic aspects of music education, combined with his infectious energy and enthusiasm for instruction and performance make him an exciting addition to the music department,” said Jennifer Heller, Ph.D., dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication. “We look forward to welcoming him into the LR community.”