UpDate - Vol. 16, No. 7
October 17, 1996
Ceremony to honor Marching Band founder J. Robert King

A ceremony honoring the late J. Robert King, professor
emeritus of music, will be held at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 18, in
Room 120 of the Amy E. du Pont Music Building, before the
marching band alumni reunion during Homecoming Weekend. The room
will be designated as the J. Robert King Rehearsal Room, with a
sign over the door and a collage of photographs of Prof. King
during his long association with the University hanging on the
wall.
     A graduate of Oberlin College in 1942, with a master's
degree from Eastman School of Music, Prof. King came to Delaware
in 1946 and was founding director of the UD Marching Band, as
well as the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band.
     His teaching career spanned 40 years, and after retirement
he continued to teach on a part-time basis.
     He also was involved with many community musical groups,
such as the Brandywiners and the Academy of Dance orchestra, and
directed local church choirs.
     With the late Thomas Calhoun, English, he worked on a
project involving the musical settings of the poems of Abraham
Cowley, that led to a new recording of the 17th-century work, The
Mistress.
     Among his honors, Prof. King was one of the first to receive
the University's Excellence in Teaching Award in 1967, was
honored as a member of the Delaware Music Educators' Hall of Fame
and was awarded the University's prestigious Medal of Distinction
in 1994.
     King, who died June 12, 1994, is survived by his wife,
Beryl. and four daughters.