Hindsley, Mark H. (Mark Hubert), 1905-1999

Director of University Bands, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (earlier name: University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign campus)); b. 1905.

Mark Hindsley (1905-1999) was an American band director, music educator, author, and arranger. He graduated from the University of Indiana with a B.S. in chemistry in 1925 and shortly thereafter began a long career as Assistant Director of Bands at the University that would last until 1970. From 1942-1946, Hindsley also served as Music Officer of the Air Force Flying Training Command. He was elected president of the College Band Directors National Association in 1946, vice-president of the American Bandmasters Association (ABA) in 1956, and president of the ABA in 1957. Over the course of his career, Hindsley published seven books and numerous articles on band performance and music education and transcribed over 75 works for band.

Mark Hindsley (1905-1999): Arranger, conductor, composer, and longtime band director of the University of Illinois Bands and the Marching Illini; graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry from Indiana University before going on to earn a Master of Arts in Music degree there in 1927. Hindsley began his career at Indiana University at Bloomington, where he served as band director and music instructor until 1929. From 1929-1934 Hindsley worked as Director of Instrumental Music in the public schools of Cleveland Heights, Ohio. In 1934 he was appointed Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Illinois under A. Austin Harding, where he was assigned as director of the marching band and conductor of the First Regimental Band. Under Hindsley's direction the marching band field routines have become an Illini tradition. His work was interrupted by military service in the Air Force between 1942 and 1946, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. During this time he supervised more than 150 Air Force bands and was assigned to the music faculty at American University of Biarritz, France. In 1948 Mark Hindsley succeeded Harding as Director of Bands at Illinois; he stayed active in that position and as Professor of Music until his retirement in 1970.

Mark Hindsley made a series of 59 recordings of the University of Illinois bands. During his lifetime Hindsley wrote more than 75 transcriptions of major orchestral works including Strauss' Don Juan and Wagner's Tannhauser, and he authored eight books and more than 40 journal articles on band education. Hindsley's involvement with several professional band organizations included his role as president of both the College Band Directors National Association in1947 and the American Bandmaster's Association in 1957. His research in wind instrument intonation influenced the design of several instruments in both the United States and Europe. He was granted a patent for mechanisms on valve brass instruments. After his formal retirement Mark Hindsley continued his work as a transcriber, and served as guest conductor, adjudicator and clinician for different band organizations.

Mark Hindsley (1905-1999) was born and raised on a farm near Union City, Indiana. He began to study the cornet at the age of ten, joining family orchestras, Sunday school orchestras, and the city band. He attended Indiana University from 1921 until 1925, graduating with a degree in chemistry. While studying there, he served as the first chair cornet player and the student assistant band director. After graduation he became the university band director at Indiana University while he completed an M.A. in Music (1927). From 1929 until 1934, Hindsley was the director of instrumental music in the public schools of Cleveland Heights, increasing enrollment and winning a number of prizes while in that position.

In 1934, University of Illinois offered him a position as Assistant Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music. He would remain at University of Illinois until his retirement in 1970 with a brief hiatus from 1942 to 1946 while serving as a band director in the Army Air Forces. In 1946, Hindsley was elected president of the College Band Directors National Association. A decade later, in 1957, he became president of the American Bandmasters Association.

Throughout his career, Hindsley was in demand as a clinician; as a guest director and adjudicator he worked with local high school band students as well as professional bands around the world. He published seven books and wrote many articles and speeches about music education and band performance. He transcribed over 75 orchestral works for band, many of which were recorded by the University of Illinois Concert Band.