David Willson
David Willson has spent over two decades shaping the University of Mississippi’s bands, including the iconic “Pride of the South,” after a 16-year career directing public-school bands across Mississippi.
He was named Mississippi’s Outstanding Band Master in 1989, received the Frist Award for service to students in 2005, and was named Professor of the Year in 2007.
A leader among his peers, he has served as president of both the Mississippi Bandmasters Association and Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity. Under his direction, Ole Miss’s marching band doubled in size, and he introduced the renowned “Grove Routine.”
Willson is also an author and clinician: his guides Starting Beginner Band Students and Band Calisthenics are widely used across the Southeast. Throughout his career, he’s remained committed to nurturing talent, enriching music education, and helping young people discover purpose and joy through performance.