The Man Behind the Music

Who's the man behind the sounds of Bloomsburg University's marching band and percussion ensemble? You can spot him roaming around the Haas building, located at the edge of campus near the Columbia dorms, wearing khakis, a scruffy white beard, and his staple skally cap. Dr. Gifford Howarth (fig.1), who also goes by Dr. H or Giff, has been teaching musicians here at Bloomsburg for over 18 years. His musical background and welcoming attitude are the two ingredients that help produce confident students and show-stopping performances.

                        (fig.1)

Practice Makes Perfect

Nobody ever proclaimed teaching was easy, especially when it comes down to perfecting the art of music. Dr. Howarth's guidance drives the process of achieving these final performances. In Dr. H's opinion, making sure students stay focused and put the work in are the biggest struggles when it comes to teaching. "My main thing is (just) giving them the tools and sending them in the right direction and trying to reinforce things," he grumbles. Keeping a routine is the method Dr. H uses to "keep the ball moving." His schedule from Monday through Thursday gets filled with two academic classes and the percussion ensemble rehearsals. "In between... is where I fit in all of the one-on-one private lessons," Dr. H excitedly shares. Students with percussion majors and minors gather outside of rehearsal time to attend these lessons provided by Dr. H as another learning supplement. All these structural facts provide for examples of how Dr. Howarth holds the music fort down and gets students to meet their end goal.

Welcome to the Jungle

As you walk into the band room (fig.2), you will find yourself enchanted by the sounds of students practicing and being greeted with a caricatured grin by Giff, himself. The chaos of scattered music stands and chairs mixed with the smell of freshly printed sheet music rattles your brain as you go to set your book bag down at the side of the room next to a large bass drum. With a "happy to be back?" and a reassuring chuckle, your nerves fall at ease and rehearsal begins. Giff brings the room to a daunting silence as he goes over what the class will be practicing that day, and he checks in with the marimba players in the front to ensure they feel prepared to begin. John, a student in the percussion major, explains that Dr. H is the reason he attends Bloomsburg and that Dr. H "took the time to make me feel welcomed in a new environment." An example that comes to mind to validate that quote would be on the first day of marching band camp when Dr. H told the group of roughly 70 students that although we come from diverse backgrounds, we gather here for the same reason and have the same end goal. It can be intimidating walking into rehearsal no matter how prepared you are, but Dr. H's vibe comes unmatched, and he makes all his students feel at home.                                     

Marimba Man                                                                                                                                          (fig.2)

The qualifications of becoming a band director include the ability to play an array of instruments. Dr. H can play and teach the snare drum, congas, xylophone, timpani, bells, and bongos, just to name a few. "I specialize in what they call a marimba, which is like a xylophone on steroids," he jokingly unveils. One of his favorite performances to ever be a part of was a mass marimba orchestra at an international percussion convention but he seriously loves working with his students on marimba as well. Dr. Howarth started schooling as a business major, but it was when he took over for a director's sabbatical at Penn State University that he epiphanized, "that's when I knew that's what I really wanted to do." He currently directs Bloomsburg's marching band in the fall semester and the percussion ensemble year-round. Through a lot of schooling and experimenting, Dr. H landed where he believes he was meant to be, here, at Bloomsburg University.

You will never have a dull moment with Dr. Howarth. He can talk your ear off with stories from his exciting life or inspire you to become the best version of yourself through heartfelt words. The Oxford Dictionary defines music as an expression of emotion, and it takes somebody like Giff to guide students to tap into that emotion and reach their potential. Experiencing his teaching methods firsthand on the football field or in the band room creates the respect that most of his students have for him. Dr. H can goof around and still teach valuable playing skills which accommodates the persona of being a welcoming mentor. The next time you get a chance to watch the Bloomsburg marching band or percussion ensemble, keep in mind the hours of practice that went into those performances. The success of these performances is won not only by the talented musicians but also the man behind the music, Dr. Gifford Howarth.