Hal J. Gibson
Conductor, Adjudicator, Clinician, and Arranger 
For more than 30 years he was a military bandleader holding positions at the highest levels of the Army’s band program. These included assignments as bandleader at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he also conducted the highly acclaimed Cadet Glee Club; Commander and Conductor of the Army’s “showcase” Musical Ambassadors, the U.S. Army Field Band and Soldiers’ Chorus; and in 1974 he was selected from the bandleaders of all services to form and conduct The Armed Forces Bicentennial Band and Chorus which was the only military musical organization ever to have been comprised of members from all five U.S. uniformed services. During his long and distinguished career he has conducted in all 50 states and in 36 foreign countries.
Following his retirement from the Army he was appointed Director of Bands and Professor of Music at the Schwob School of Music of Columbus State University. He served there for 16 years and developed one of the finest wind ensembles of the southeast. Following his retirement he was voted to be Professor Emeritus by the Georgia Board of Regents. In November of 2001 the rehearsal hall of the newly constructed world class RiverCenter (sic) for the Performing Arts of Columbus State University was dedicated and named for him.
He is a national honorary member of Phi Beta Mu, the College Band Directors National Association, Kappa Kappa Psi, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and is an elected member of the prestigious American Bandmasters Association.
In February of 2004 he was inducted into the National Hall of Fame for Distinguished Band Conductors.