Category: Marching Pride

Marching Pride Band Director Mark Gordon

MARCHING PRIDE BAND DIRECTOR RECEIVES HONORARY DOCTORATE IN TEXAS

Release Provided By

Ellie Melero, Media Relations Specialist

Langston University Marching Pride Band Director Mark Gordon received an honorary doctorate in philosophy from Leaders Esteem Christian Bible University on Dec. 17.

Mr. Gordon has been the Director of Bands at Langston University since 2018 and he has grown the band to 275 students. Before that, he had more than 20 years of experience directing bands at the high school and collegiate levels.

His career began at M.B. Smiley High School in Houston, Texas, in 1996. There, Mr. Gordon built the band up to nearly 400 students. After 10 years with Smiley High School, Mr. Gordon returned to his alma mater, Prairie View A&M University, to serve as the assistant director of bands for another 10 years. He then served as the director of bands at Charles H. Milby High School in Houston, Texas, before moving to Oklahoma to take up his current post at Langston University.

Throughout his career, Mr. Gordon has remained involved with the surrounding communities at each of his respective schools through band and choir performances, youth outreach, and involvement at church. He believes his work helping students to graduate high school and find ways to pursue college to be among the top reasons he was selected to receive this honor.

“I am honored and I am blessed to be receiving this honorary doctorate of philosophy,” Mr. Gordon said. “I am blessed to have had the opportunity to work with so many fine students and musicians over the years, and I am thankful that working with them has made a positive impact.”

Mr. Gordon was nominated by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Foundation of Houston to receive this honor. He received his honorary doctorate at a ceremony in the Sans Souci Ballroom in Tomball, Texas, on Dec. 17.

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS & MARCHING PRIDE BAND SIGNED AN EXCLUSIVE APPAREL AGREEMENT WITH ADIDAS

LANGSTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS & MARCHING PRIDE BAND SIGNED AN EXCLUSIVE APPAREL AGREEMENT WITH ADIDAS

Release Provided By

By Christina Gray, Media Relations Specialist

Langston, Oklahoma – Langston University and Adidas have entered into an exclusive contract agreement. Adidas is now the official provider of LU apparel, uniforms, footwear, and equipment. This exclusive contract will represent each of the University’s intercollegiate athletic programs and the Marching Pride Band.

“This is so exciting. We have the opportunity to bring every program under the same brand for the first time in the school’s history,” said LU Athletic Director, Donnita Rogers.

LU Athletics has also signed an agreement with a local partner, Midwest Sporting Goods. “We not only get to work with a national brand, but we are also partnering with another company located in the state of Oklahoma. This means these tax dollars will stay right here,” said LU President, Dr. Kent J. Smith, Jr.

During this process, LU had offers from three major national brands. “One of the reasons we chose Midwest and Adidas was because of their commitment to service,” said Smith.

“It was important to us that we partner with someone who cares about our university community the way we do, I believe that we found that through this partnership.”

LU Athletics is an official member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). “This is a very special day for LU. The reality is our Athletic Director is building a national powerhouse in Athletics,” said Dr. Smith.

“We are not only recruiting incredible talent, but they are performing well in the classroom. Not many institutions can tout that, and that makes me very proud.”

Order your official Langston University Gear at https://lulions.itemorder.com/sale.

Mark Gordon

MARK G. GORDON NAMED DIRECTOR OF BANDS FOR LANGSTON UNIVERSITY

Release Provided By

LANGSTON, Okla. – Langston University is proud to announce that Mr. Mark G. Gordon has been appointed as the Director of Bands, effective June 25, 2018. He comes to Langston University with more than 20 years of experience directing bands on the high school and collegiate levels. His bands have won more than 30 first-place trophies from various battles of the band and competitions in Texas and Louisiana. He also hosted the largest high school battle of the bands in Texas for more than eight years with a capacity of more than 20,000 attendees.

Mr. Gordon earned a bachelor’s degree in applied music in 1996 from Prairie View A&M University. He went on to earn a master’s degree in divinity theological studies in 2007 from St. Agnus Georgian School and a master’s degree in music composition from Texas Southern University in 2014. Mr. Gordon is currently working on his dissertation in education and leadership instruction at North Central University. In 1996, he began his teaching career at M.B. Smiley High School in Houston, Texas. He later matriculated back to his Alma Mata; Prairie View A&M University where he was the assistant director of bands for 10 years.

Currently serving as Director of Bands for Charles H. Milby High School in Houston, Texas. Mr. Gordon is also a vocalist and national gospel recording artist. He has recorded with Universal Records and has performed with such artists as Kirk Franklin, Yolanda Adams, Stephanie Mills and John P. Kee. He is also a member of the following organizations: JAW Entertainment Group, Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, Mu Alpha Sigma National Honor Society, and the National Association for the Study and Preservation of African American Music (NASPAAM).

If you would like to contact Mr. Gordon or the Langston University Band Department, you can email mark.gordon@langston.edu or call (405) 466-3418.

Langston University (LU) is a public Historically Black University enrolling a close-knit community of under 3,000 students. Langston University is recognized as a top institution of higher learning for affordability by afforableschools.net and bestvalueschools.com. Founded in 1897, LU is located in rural Logan County and has urban campuses in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Langston offers more than 40 associate, bachelors, masters, and doctoral programs across six academic colleges. Visit us online at http://www.langston.edu.

LANGSTON GRADUATE HEADS BACK TO ROOTS AS THE NEW DIRECTOR OF BANDS

Release Provided By

By Christina Gray, Media Relations Specialist

Langston University recently named in-demand performer and alumni Lonnie Easter as the new Director of Bands. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge in the field of music and stays ahead of the curve by choosing songs from the Billboard Top 25 list.

Easter earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Langston University, where he graduated magna cum laude from the Edwin P. McCabe Honors Program. He also earned a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of Central Oklahoma.

Easter recently served as the Director of Bands for Douglass High School in Oklahoma City, restoring a once proud program. The Douglass High School marching band is now known for its outstanding performances at halftime events and performances at the OKC Arts Festival. He served as the Director of Bands for nine years at Millwood Public Schools in Oklahoma City. The most memorable performance was for the Battle of the Bands in 2006. It was Easter’s creative approach that caused News 9 to feature Millwood as its ‘band of the week’ for their winning performance that had the crowd dancing in the stands.

Easter is best known for crafting contemporary and upbeat performances and is now continuing that tradition as he prepares the Langston band for its upcoming performances this fall.