About Us

The instrumental band program at Lee University has a rich history. Founded in 1953, the first band consisted of both collegiate and high school musicians under the direction of Eddie Williams. In the decades following its conception, the band’s membership ranged anywhere from twenty to fifty collegiate musicians. Over those first 35 years, the band saw several different directors including Delton Alford, David Horton, Jerry Long, Sonny Chambley, Howard Peterson, and Rick Powell.

In 1989, Lee College President Charles Paul Conn named Mark Bailey director of the ensemble. A graduate of Lee College and a veteran church music leader, Bailey felt a strong calling to build the instrumental band program at his alma mater. Because his heart for ministry was centered around the local church, Bailey placed a greater emphasis on touring than the band had prior to his tenure.

Over the next ten years the band program grew steadily along with Lee College itself. In the fall of 1997 Lee College attained University status, bringing with it a whole new dimension of growth and accreditation which further perpetuated the instrumental program. Two years later an announcement was made that a second band would be created to accommodate the program’s growth. In 1999 David R. Holsinger, a renowned composer and conductor, was named director of the newly formed Lee University Wind Ensemble.

Today, the Symphonic Band’s ministry is as vibrant and diverse as ever. With a commitment to musical excellence and a calling to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Symphonic Band continues to minister in venues large and small around the world. The ensemble is characterized by the breadth of its repertoire which includes traditional concert band works, patriotic anthems, triumphant choir arrangements and contemporary praise and worship charts. This eclectic repertoire is due to the unique instrumentation of the group which includes a wind section, rhythm section, percussion section, and a vocal ensemble.