ANN ARBOR—A Michigan native who has been gone from the state for nearly 20 years has returned to direct the University of Michigan Marching Band. James Tapia will be serving as the Associate Director of Bands, the Donald R. Shepherd Assistant Professor of Conducting and marching band director.
A man of varied musical talents and interests, Tapia moved from singing in a church choir to mastering the French horn
and the trumpet. Yet he isn’t beyond popping a CD by Paula Cole into his car’s sound system. This eclectic pop performer might follow or precede a favorite CD from the classical orchestral or wind literature.
Tapia’s goal this season is to continue the musical excellence and precision performances of the Michigan Marching Band through training at Band Camp and daily rehearsals at Elbel Field.
“I want to hone the integrity of the band every day to make it better than it was yesterday,” Tapia says, noting that if the Michigan Marching Band is not the premier band in the country he would be “hard pressed to find one better in musicianship, drillwork, musicology and physical exertion.” Tapia credits this reputation to the 25-years of H. Robert Reynolds‘ leadership as U-M’s Director of Bands.
Known for its excellence throughout the world, U-M’s Marching Band was recently featured in a Japanese video magazine. The marching band garners pride within and outside the University and across the country, most recently manifested in the funding of a new permanent steel and concrete tower for overseeing practice sessions. The new tower which, replaces temporary scaffolding erected each year, will give the director and his assistants unobstructed sight lines of the band during rehearsals.
Tapia previously served as director of bands and professor of music at Pittsburg State University in Kansas, where he also conducted various ensembles and athletic bands. While in Kansas, Tapia also was professor of trumpet and taught conducting and music education classes at the graduate and undergraduate levels. He served as an assistant instructor at the University of Texas at Austin during the 1996-97 academic year where he worked with the Wind Ensemble, the Symphony Band, the Concert Band and the Longhorn Marching Band.
Tapia maintains an active schedule as guest conductor, performer, clinician and lecturer, appearing throughout the United States as well as in France, England, Holland and Korea.
Assisting Tapia will be Matthew O. Smith who, along with his Both directors urge families to visit the Elbel Field rehearsals held weekdays from 4:45-6:15 p.m.

Marching BandElbel FieldH. Robert Reynolds