Andy Clark, President of C.L. Barnhouse Company, will present “The Incredible Music Heritage of Oskaloosa” on Thursday, October 26 at 6:00 PM in the Musco Technology Center (MTC) on William Penn University’s Oskaloosa campus. The C.L. Barnhouse Company has been housed in Oskaloosa for over 130 years and is considered one of the oldest operating band–focused music publishing companies in the world. Clark joined the company in 1988; he is a veteran music composer, arranger and publisher who has extensive knowledge about successful musicians from the Oskaloosa area. His presentation will include stories from over 15 musicians, spanning from 1865 to now and the impact they have had on the global music community.

“One cannot talk about the history of Oskaloosa without including music and Barnhouse Music Publishers,” said Anita Meinert, Chair of the Humanities Division at William Penn University. “The rich musical history includes the origins and traditions of the Oskaloosa City Band, the composer Frederick Logan, and the heritage and worldwide renown of Barnhouse Music. Not to mention professional musicians such as Max Bennett and Ray Blue who found their musical footings in Oskaloosa and William Penn University. Our community has a long tradition of fostering talented musicians and composers.”

About the Speaker

Andy Clark is a music composer with a diverse background of musical and publishing experiences. After college, Clark spent four years as chief arranger and featured trombonist and drummer with the U.S. Air Force “CONAC BAND.” As a composer and arranger, he has over 250 band numbers published with five publishers and has served as a performer/clinician at events in 34 states. In 1986, Tom Batiuk and Clark collaborated in writing “Funky Winkerbean’s Homecoming,” a two–hour stage musical based on the popular comic strip.  Until the summer of 1988, he also continued to perform professionally and was the leader of “Andy Clark & the KLEO Radio Orchestra,” a 15–piece big band made of the top professional players in the Wichita area.

About Leaders Speak

The Leaders Speak Series is an annual initiative that reaches out to the community with diverse leadership–based themes.  The 2017–18 series has expanded on the theme “Ignite,” which aims at bringing in speakers to encourage students and community members to pursue their passions and promote positive change.

The event is free and open to the public and can also be streamed online at www.wmpenn.edu/leaders