University News
Former WIU Band Director Robert Morsch Passed Away
January 8, 2009
MACOMB, IL - - Robert S. Morsch, 67, former director of bands at Western Illinois University, passed away Jan. 4 at his home in Colorado after a long battle with multiple sclerosis.
As director of bands, Morsch, who served Western from August 1973 to June 1979, guided the 190-member Leatherneck Marching Band; the Jazz Band; the Symphonic Wind Ensemble; and coordinated Western's annual fall high school marching band competition, which often brought in more than 4,000 high school musicians. His 1974 Marching Leatherneck Band recorded and produced a record album of their popular numbers performed during halftime shows; the 1975 Jazz Band recorded an album for Music Minus One Records; and the 1975 Symphonic Wind Ensemble performed, by invitation, at the Music Educators National Conference and presented a concert at the Kenney Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. From Western Illinois, Morsch went on to Georgia State University as director of bands.
He came to Western from Triton College (River Grove, IL), where his 1972 Triton Jazz Band placed second in the instrumental division of the International Music Festival and Competition in Dijon, France. Previously, Morsch was assistant director of bands at Arizona State University, where he earned his Bachelor's in Music Education and Master's in Music degrees. He earned a Doctorate in Band Conducting from The University of Iowa.
Morsch played French horn in the United States Army Field Band, the Denver Symphony and the Phoenix Symphony. He belonged to MENC – The National Association for Music Education; Kappa Kappa Psi, national honorary band fraternity; and the National Association of Jazz Educators (NAJE), which honored him with a humanitarian award in 1987.
Surviving are his father, J.D. Morsch; his wife, Karen; his son, Bob; two stepdaughters, Brenda Lough and Cheryl Potman; and two grandsons, Jeremy and Jacob Potman. No services are planned. Memorial contributions may be sent to the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, P.O. Box 60730, Colorado Springs CO 809060 in memory of Robert Morsch.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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