Unwavering Legacy: Honoring Gladys Wright Through Music

Thomas S. Wootton High School hosted an evening of music and history on September 30 with Unwavering Legacy, a concert honoring music educator Gladys Wright.

“Gladys Wright was a true trailblazer in the field of music education,” said Dr. Susan Eckerle, Wootton HS conductor. “At a time when very few women served as high school band directors, she not only led her ensembles to 22 consecutive ‘superior’ ratings but also broke barriers as the second woman admitted to the American School Band Directors Association.”

Wright left an indelible mark on the field as one of the first women to serve as a high school band director. She founded the Women Band Directors National Association and made history as the first woman guest conductor of the U.S. Navy Band and the Goldman Band. Beyond the podium, she was also a composer, author, adjudicator, and clinician whose influence continues to inspire generations.

The highlight of the evening was the world premiere of Unwavering by composer Heather Hastings, commissioned by Women Band Directors International in Wright’s honor and performed by the Wootton HS' Wind Ensemble.

The evening also featured guest artist Velvet Brown, renowned tuba professor at Penn State, performing the second and third movements of Barbara York’s Concerto for Tuba.

Adding to the celebration, Wootton’s own Chamber Strings, recently selected to perform at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago this December, also took the stage.

The event was attended by Women Band Directors International president Pam Klena.

From left to right: The composer of Unwavering, Heather Hastings; Wootton HS conductor, Dr. Susan Eckerle; and the president of the Women Band Directors International, Pam Klena.