Larry
Howell received his Bachelor of Science
Degree in Music Education from
Mississippi State University in 1963.
During his undergraduate years, he
served as President of the MSU Band and
helped organize Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia,
serving as charter president. He earned
his Master of Music Education Degree in
1966. In 1970 Mr. Howell was certified
in Guidance and Vocational Guidance, and
in 1983 he earned a AA certification I
Administration. From 1963-1985 he was on
the teaching staff and was Band Director
at MSU Summer Music Camp. Many of his
students won individual and
group-trophies during these camps. Mr.
Howell was High School Band Director in
Okolona, MS, from 1963-66. The band
improved during these years under his
direction. He had many outstanding
students. One performed professionally
and now teaches on the university level.
Larry
Howell moved to Louisville, MS, serving
as High School Band Director and
Director of Bands from 1966 to 1979.
During his tenure the Louisville HS Band
received many superiors and honors. The
band was selected in 1970 for First
Chair of America. Louisville HS and
Junior HS bands performed as guest
concert bands at the 1973 University of
Southern Mississippi Conductor’s
Conference. Under his leadership in
Louisville, his students were regularly
selected to Lion’s All State Band and
earned numerous superiors in MS Solo and
Ensemble Festivals. Many students have
gone on to be professional recording
performers and band directors in MS, FL,
TX, TN, & GA. Mr. Howell was elected to
the 1971 Executive Board of MMEA, Band
Division, serving through the offices to
President of MMEA Band Division in 1974.
He was honored as 1972 Outstanding Young
Educator of the Year by Winston County
Jaycees, and he was president of
Louisville’s Lion’s Club. In the same
year, he was invited to be a member of
ASBDA. He was chosen to be Lion’s All
State Concert Director I 1973 and again
in 1977. In 1973 Mr. Howell was
appointed Honorary Colonel &
Aide-de-Camp, Governor’s Staff by
Governor Bill Waller. Mr. Howell was
named as Distinguished Bandmaster of
America “First Chair of American” in
1976. he was honored with the 1977
Outstanding Bandmaster Award by Phi Beta
Mu. Mr. Howell was elected to serve as
President of Mississippi Music
Educators Association; during this time
he represented Mississippi at the
International Music Camp In-Service
Conference at Interlocken, MI. As
president of MMEA he received national
recognition at the 1978 Music Educators
National Conference that was held in
Chicago, IL, for registering the
greatest membership increase in state
membership. During that year he was
responsible for organizing the first
“Unified Convention for Music Education”
in Mississippi for All State Band, All
State Chorus, and All State Orchestra.
In 1979
Larry Howell accepted the position of
High School Band Director at Dalton, GA.
That year Dalton HS Concert Band
received their first superior ratings in
Concert and Sight Reading. They won
first place at Atlantic States marching
Festival and the Peach State marching
Festival. The band won the 1980 Grand
Champion trophy at the Desoto National
Marching Festival in Bradenton, FL. Mr.
Howell moved bank to Louisville, MS. He
the returned to the Louisville Band
Program as Band Director. He served as
1989 president of Phi Beta Mu, Delta
Chapter, and was a member of the Phi
Beta Mu committee which founded the MS
Band Directors Hall of Fame. He also
served on the State Board for MS Lion’s
All State Band and served as a member of
the State Committee to write the Music
Aim Plan. Larry Howell worked for
Mississippi Music, Inc., as Band
Representative out of the Meridian, MS,
store from January 1986-95, serving
bands and their directors in east
central Mississippi.
In 1995
Mr. Howell became Band Director for a
new consolidated school band program at
Newton County High School. During the
following four years, the new band was
very successful. He served as MSU Alumni
Band President form 1995-97.
Mr. Howell
retired from public schools in 1999. he
serves as Delta Chapter’s executive
secretary for Phi Beta Mu International
Bandmasters Fraternity. He still serves
on the Alumni Band Board, with their
ultimate goal- the realization of a new
band hall at Mississippi State
University. He serves as a board officer
of the Red Hills Arts Foundation to
build a community home for the arts in
Louisville, MS. From 1997-2005 he has
xo-directed with a former student an
annual benefit “Home for Christmas
Concert” for Louisville, MS, natives who
are performers, songwriters, and Grammy
Award winners. Mr. Howell continues to
serve each year as a stage manager at
MHSAA Concert and Sight Reading Festival
and as a guest conductor, announcer, and
adjudicator in Mississippi and Alabama.
