Texas Bandmasters Association
Bandmasters Review • December 2013
12
For those who may not be completely familiar with Eddie Galvan’s legacy, the following are highlights as
printed by the
Corpus Christi Caller Times
in February 2011 of his professional and personal achievements.
Eddie Galvan (1927-2011)
• Joined first band at age 13
• Performed big band and jazz with his brothers at the Galvan Ballroom
• Graduated from Corpus Christi High School in 1945
• Earned associate degree from Del Mar College in 1948
• Earned bachelor’s and master’s of music from Texas A&I University in 1952 and 1953, respectively
• Began teaching in the Premont school district in 1953
• Joined CCISD in 1956 and worked there through 1985
• Worked as associate professor of music at CCSU from 1985-91
• Served as dean of music at Vidal M. Treviño School of Communications & Fine Arts in Laredo from 1991-99
• One of the founders of the Texas Jazz Festival
Paying Homage to a
Beloved Texas Band Director :
The Eddie Galvan Consortium
In February 2011 our profession
said farewell to one of the most
beloved musicians
that music education
in Texas and abroad
has ever known.
Mr. Eddie Galvan,
former Roy Miller
High School Band
Director,
former
Corpus Christi Port
Authority commissioner, and
founding member of the Texas Jazz
Festival, passed away surrounded
by family and friends leaving
behind a legacy that few have
achieved.
Shortly after Eddie’s passing
a survey was taken regarding a
commission that would pay
homage to his contributions to
music education. The
immediate response
was overwhelmingly
supportive. In fact,
a naïve attempt was
made to quickly
organize such a
consortium for a
commissioned work
to be premiered during the 2014
TMEA convention. Unfortunately,
this zealous attempt was subdued
by the shortness of consortium
contributions. Admittedly, this
exercise was introduced during a
less than ideal time of the year
for most music educators. This
subsequently led to a reorganization
of the overall proposal with a
more palatable participation
fee and achievable consortium
participation deadline. During the
summer of 2013, Mr. Don Haynes,
Director of Bands at LBJ High
School and former Galvan student,
became a co-commissioner along
with Dr. Abel Saldivar Ramirez,
conductor of the Del Mar College
Wind Ensemble and Dr. Cynthia
Bridges, chair of the Del Mar
College Department of Music. It
was decided that the Eddie Galvan
Consortium is important enough
to continue as the short term issues
are worth the long term dividends.
Dr. Abel Saldivar Ramirez