By Camryn Stroupe, Opinions Editor
Dr. Austin Motley was recently announced as the next Director of Bands for the OBU band program. Dr. Motley previously has served as Assistant Professor of Music in Ouachita’s School of Performing Arts since Fall 2022 and as Interim Director of Bands this past fall semester. The Director of Bands at Ouachita serves as the instrumental area coordinator and directs the main ensembles on campus including wind ensemble, symphonic ensemble, marching band and jazz band.
Having been originally hired at Ouachita as Assistant Professor of Music, Dr. Motley is looking ahead to his future as Director of Bands. “I’ll have to stop doing some of the things I’ve been doing in the past so I can better serve our students and the program,” Motley said. “I have been an applied trombone, euphonium and tuba instructor. Now I will be doing lots of ensemble leading, and teaching courses in our music education sequence such as secondary instrumental methods and conducting.”
Dr. Motley discussed his responsibilities outside of the OBU campus as well. “The Director of Bands has a lot of different responsibilities such as being the instrumental area coordinator and helping coordinate all things instrumental on campus as well as off campus, serving as an ambassador to the region in Arkansas and other states as well for Ouachita,” Motley said. “This involves going out and meeting with high school directors, establishing relationships with them and then hopefully forming a funnel system where students are coming to Ouachita from those programs. It all starts from relationships and building connections in the area, and I’m really excited to do that.”
Having served this past semester as interim director, Motley discussed how the permanent Director of Bands title changes his current role. “It’s essentially removing the title of interim and makes it to where I’m committed to Ouachita long-term,” Motley said. “The fact that my plans I had while I have been interim can now be continued on and not taken over by someone else means that we can really build upon what I’ve started here as interim. The job details don’t change much. I’ll still be directing the large ensembles and the jazz band, and still teaching conducting and secondary methods. I am excited to build upon important on-campus events such as High School Band Shadow Day and Alumni Band Day to create meaningful opportunities for engagement.”
This semester as director, Dr. Motley has formed many fond memories with the OBU Marching Band. “A memory that sticks out to me is all of summer band camp,” Motley said. “We really tried to start off the year with building a very strong community within the band program. We had lots of team building events and activities, evening hangouts at various places including the Eubanks’ lake. My fondest memories from this year so far would probably have to be hanging out with students, getting to do life with them outside of rehearsal during that summer band camp week.”
Another aspect of this semester’s fun for Dr. Motley has come through the jazz band. “I have lots of dad jokes,” Motley said. “I try to be creative with how I’m engaging with my students through writing silly titles on the board or picking songs that have crazy titles. There has been a really sweet spirit on campus with the students in terms of just being able to establish relationships with them.”
Motley reflected on the band community that has been built up so far this year. “Every situation, every rehearsal, every whatever, I have tried to establish a positive, Christ-like environment for my students,” Motley said. “I feel like we’re building a band culture where people can feel like they can be themselves and enjoy playing music together.”
