Larry McWilliams

Larry McWilliams

(July 20, 19?? - Present)

Larry McWilliams developed the jazz program at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana where he joined the faculty in 1970. He soon organized a jazz band that turned into two and three and then seven or eight combos. Having played jazz as well as classical trumpet, Larry had a real clear understanding of just how to design a meaningful program for students.

Larry's experiences with the Tommy Dorsey band and other jazz bands gave him the contacts that made special guest artists possible.  Over the years he even established the school's jazz festival.  Under his direction, the Ball State University Jazz Lab Ensemble enjoyed a reputation as one of the finest collegiate jazz ensembles in the country. It gained regional, national, and international attention by participating in numerous jazz festivals, including the Elmhurst Jazz Festival in Chicago, Notre Dame Jazz Festival, Mobile Collegiate Jazz Festival, and the Kansas City Conservatory Jazz Festival. Some of the international jazz festivals were the Vienne Jazz Festival, France; The Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland; the Umbria Jazz Festival, Italy; and the North Sea Jazz Festival, the Netherlands.

During his years at Ball State University, McWilliams became a leading adjudicator, clinician, and soloist for many high school and college jazz festivals throughout the Midwest, as well as sponsoring a very successful high school “Dimensions In Jazz” festival at Ball State.  McWilliams has had extensive performing experience with name bands and known Broadway shows such as the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Hello Dolly and Cabaret. Other performing experience included freelance work in New York and Las Vegas, and tours and show work with Johnny Mathis, Henry Mancini, Pia Zadora, Steve Lawrence and Edie Gorme, Perry Como, Tony Bennett, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra Jr., The Spinners, The Temptations, Red Skeleton, and the Manhattan Transfer vocal group. During the summer of ’07, McWilliams was Guest Soloist for the International Band Festival which is held in Besana Brianza, Italy.