The director of the Seymour High School band was the guest speaker for a recent meeting of the Seymour Evening Lions Club.
Kevin Cottrill said he was born and raised in Bloomington where he became a passionate Indiana University fan with a dream to attend the school and march in the Hoosier Hundred marching band.
Both of these dreams came true, Cottrill said, and he talked about how big a thrill it was to be part of such a well-known musical organization.
This helped cement his passion for a career as a teacher and director of a high school band in Indiana, he said.
Cottrill talked about the various schools where he taught and served as an assistant band director after graduating from I.U., but he always wanted to serve as the lead director.
This opportunity became a reality when the Seymour band director position became open and he was selected. It’s a position he has held for more than 20 years.
The Seymour High School marching band, with more than 230 members, performs at home football games and other performances throughout the year.
Cottrill said it takes personal involvement in the music programs at the elementary and middle schools to build motivation for young students to aspire to be in the high school band.
He further said the school is growing at such a rate, the potential exists for the band to eventually have more than 300 members.
In addition to music, Cottrill said he is an unabashed crazy sports fan, especially for I.U.
During his own high school years, he participated in sports and music, which was often very difficult for the student. But he believed with the right leadership and building allies among the coaching staff, students could do both, and they do at Seymour High School.
For more years than anyone could remember, the Seymour Evening Lions Club has presented the John Phillip Sousa Award to the most deserving senior band student. This award is based on part on a recipient’s hours of work and overall student excellence. The recipient is voted on by the band students themselves.
“The students always get it right," Cottrill said. "Any student might fool a teacher, but they will never be able to fool the other students."
The relationship between Cottrill and the Seymour Evening Lions Club goes back many years.
For example, the Lions Club hosted the annual Halloween parade and costume contest, and the band led the parade, finishing in the American Legion parking lot. Band members dress up in costumes, rather than their normal band uniforms.
Unfortunately, the parade and costume contest were both canceled this year due to the COVID-19 threat in the community.
Since the event had to be canceled, the club wanted to make sure Cottrill and the rest of the band community realized the Evening Lions Club was still a strong supporter of the band program by donating $500 to the band.