WILLIAM DEMPSEY CLARK MUSIC ENDOWMENT

Since 1985, William Clark has served New Mexico State University, the City of Las Cruces, and the citizens of New Mexico as Director of Bands, Music Department Head, and organizer/director of the Las Cruces New Horizons Band.

During his term as Director of Bands, the number of wind and percussion music majors increased dramatically and with the addition of full time flute and percussion instructors and adjunct oboe and bassoon instructors the wind and percussion faculty was completed.

During his nine years as Music Department Head, the number of music majors more than doubled and the faculty has been unusually stable with only faculty member moving to another university position.

In 1987, Dr. Clark, in association with Mr. John Schutz and Mr. Mike White, started the Mesilla Valley Concert Band at NMSU. This group has grown from 27 members to the current 100 member organization which presents seven free concerts each season and a benefit concert for organizations such as the Branigan Cultural Center, the Las Cruces Ballet, Dona Ana Arts Council, and the Branigan Memorial Library. The Concert Band is recognized as among the finest in the Southwest.

In 1993, Clark, in association with Mr. Mike White, owner of White's Music Box, started the Las Cruces New Horizons Band. This is for adults who either have never played a band instrument or have not played since high school or college. This band of 50 members presents four free concerts per year.

Clark was selected as Outstanding Young Educator in Arkansas in 1965, was selected Citizen of the Year in Las Cruces in 1989, selected as New Mexico Music Educator of the Year in 1989, elected to the American Bandmasters Association in 1993 (the most prestigious organization for wind conductors). He received the Julie Papen Arts Patron Award in 1996, and was selected outstanding alumnus at Henderson State University in 1997.

Dr. Clark is a nationally known clinician and adjudicator for bands and orchestra. He appears approximately ten times annually as a guest conductor, fifteen times as adjudicator and literally dozens of times as a guest clinician mainly for schools in Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas and New Mexico.

William Clark earned his Bachelors Degree from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, AR, his Masters Degree from the University of Arkansas, and his Ph.D. from the University of Southern Mississippi.

In recognition of Bill's service to New Mexico State University and to the community of musicians in the United States, Bill's friends, family, colleagues, and fellow musicians established the William Dempsey Clark Music Endowment. This fund provides support through scholarships to students and faculty development at the Department of Music.

One-half of the income shall be used to make annual scholarship awards to wind or percussion players who are music education majors. The recipients shall be selected by audition and by recommendations from their high school band or orchestra conductor. Recipients must maintain a 3.0 grade point average to retain the scholarship for a maximum of 8 semesters at New Mexico State University. The remaining one-half of the income shall be used at the discretion of the Department Head for faculty travel or faculty enrichment.