THOMAS SMITH
Staff Writer
After serving in the U.S. Army for the past 34 years, Lt. Col. Tony Cason’s music career will march on as a visiting professor in the Fine Arts Division.
Now retired, Cason has performed alongside well-known artists such as Duke Ellington, Pablo Cassals, James Mc-Cracken and Elvis Presley.
At Pepperdine, Cason is a professor of music and conducts the orchestra. He teaches brass methods, brass ensemble and orchestra classes. Cason is also conducting the fall musical “Anything Goes,” directing the orchestra in the Christmas concert and helping recruit future music students.
“I spent a total of 34 years in the military, culminating with the last 15 years in the U.S. Army Band in Washington, D.C.,” Cason said.
While in the U.S. Army Band, Cason served as deputy commander of “Pershing’s Own,” the premier ensemble of the Senior Armed Service.
He led the U.S. Army Band in Edinburgh, Scotland; Stran-gnas, Sweden; Oslo, Norway; and Brisbane, Australia.
As musical director and conductor of the U.S. Army Orchestra and the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, Cason said he has been able to perform at world-renowned occasions.
During the past 15 years, Cason said he faced pressure during performances for the president, and other national and international dignitaries, where there could be no mistakes.
Cason said he first became involved with music as a fourth grader living in Michigan. His first instrument was the cornet, but, within two years of playing, he switched to the French horn.
He moved to Memphis, Tenn., in 1963 where he graduated from high school and began performing with the Memphis Symphony and
the Memphis Opera Theatre Orchestra.
“My passion for music began to grow during these years in Memphis,” he said.
Cason received a bachelor’s degree of music from Memphis University and a master’s of music from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
At Arkansas State University, he served as a faculty member and section leader for seven years.
Cason has also appeared with musical organizations such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Amy Zhang, sophomore string-bass player, works in the Music Division office and is instructed by Cason in the Pepperdine Orchestra.
Zhang said she enjoys working with Cason because he is different from other conductors.
“He’s one of the best,” Zhang said.
Cason said joining the Pepperdine faculty seemed like a natural choice after retiring from the military in Dec. 2004.
“I’d heard of Pepperdine all along,” he said.
Cason began his musical career in the army as a French-horn soloist with the Jazz Ambassadors of the U.S. Army Field Band in Washington, D.C.
Cason’s previous military assignments include service as commander of the U.S. Army Ground Forces Band in Atlanta, a staff band officer at Fifth U.S. Army in San Antonio, Texas, director of evaluation and standardization at the Armed Forces School of Music in Norfolk, Va., and commander of the Sixth U.S. Army Band in San Francisco.
Cason was also executive officer and director of the Army Chorale.
He received various awards for his military service, including the Legion of Merit and five Meritorious Service medals.
During his years of service, Cason performed at the White House numerous times, at the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta and during the opening ceremonies for the 2002 Winter Olympics at Salt Lake City, Utah, with the Herald Trumpets.
Cason said he considers each of these events his greatest performances.
Col. Cason will remain at the University “as long as I feel I am making a contribution to the university and students.”
11-17-2005
