Hardin-Simmons University welcomes new band director back to Abilene

Retirement just wasn't in the cards for Bill Harden. At least, not when your alma matter calls you with a job offer.

Harden, who graduated from Hardin-Simmons University in 1986 before pursuing graduate studies at the University of Cincinnati, joined the the university faculty as director of bands this past summer after stepping away from Odessa High School.

After spending the last 30 years at the high school level, it was time for Harden to make a change. And in doing so, he's looking to grow an appreciation for music among his students.

"At the end of the day, I want (my students) to walk out of class loving music," he said. "It's different at this level than it is in high school. They need to walk away from this with an appreciation for music. So that one day, if there's a concert, they can think back and reflect on their time making music and they can really enjoy what they listen to. I want them to seek out ways to appreciate music."

Harden is a fan of adventure. A seed planted in him as an HSU student, thanks to a series of overseas trips with the band at the time, grew into a love for travel that has taken him around the entire planet.

In fact, he was at the Sydney Opera House in Australia's capital city working with students when he accepted the Hardin-Simmons job offer. 

Getting there, he said, was its own adventure that took him to Dubai, a country famous for its architecture. And Harden, a fan of buildings, said the Australia trip that took him from Dallas to Dubai to Sydney was one that fulfilled multiple wish list items.

He's also a twice-per-year visiting instructor at New York City's Carnegie Hall. Each February, he works with high school students, and each June, he assists middle school musicians.

He will maintain those responsibilities, as well as his summer trip to Sydney, while enjoying his "retirement" as HSU's director of bands, he said.

Harden's love for travel is hopefully going to help influence the marching band that has become known as the World-Famous Cowboy Band. Part of his task from administration, he said, is to return some of that "world-famous" luster.

And he's in the planning stages of doing just that.

"Life is about experiences," Harden said. "I've been tasked with providing such opportunities. We're looking to take the Cowboy Band to Branson in April ... and I have an application on my desk for the St. Patrick;s Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland. That will be in 2020."

When it comes to teaching, Harden is approaching his college professorship a little differently than he did all of those years at Odessa High.

This will be much more relevant, to him at least, outside of marching band. It'll be in his building of concerts for concert band and wind ensembles and the rest of his responsibilities away from the group that plays music for rowdy football fans each Saturday.

When he's assembling a concert at the high school level, there are lists of approved music he's required to choose from. But those shackles are off, he said, at HSU.

The first concert he'll conduct, he said, will be called "Our Sacred Heritage," and will take the Behrens stage in October.

As for marching band, he's going to continue the school's western tradition with its traditional step routines. That part won't change, he said.

It all leads to a job with more fulfillment and less stress than what he was experiencing the last couple years at Odessa High School.

"I loved my job for many, many years," Harden said. "I was worn down for the last couple years. At that school, the marching band had received Div. 1 scores for (50-plus) years, so there was always that threat that the next year's performance was going to be the one that broke the streak. So, there was a lot of pressure and a lot of stress."

See the band

What: West Texas Fair & Rodeo Parade

When: 10:30 a.m. Saturday

Where: Downtown Abilene (Starting point is 300 Chestnut Street, north to Pine Street, west on North Sixth Street, south on Cypress Street, and back to Chestnut.)

More info: The parade features the World-Famous Cowboy Band and others, plus floats, cars and other entries.