EIU Department of Music

Band Directors

Dr. Alicia Neal

Director of Bands—Associate Professor of Music

Director of the Wind Symphony, Concert Band, and Graduate Wind Conducting

Alicia Neal has served as the Director of Bands at Eastern Illinois University since the fall of 2012. As an Associate Professor of Music, her teaching responsibilities include Wind Symphony, Concert Band, conducting courses, and graduate wind conducting. Originally from Kingwood, Texas, Neal holds undergraduate and master of music degrees from the University of Colorado-Boulder and a doctoral degree from Northwestern University. Her principal conducting teachers include Allan McMurray and Mallory Thompson.

Prior to her appointment at Eastern Illinois University, Neal served as the Assistant Director of Bands and Associate Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Minnesota where she taught marching band, pep band, concert bands, and conducting classes. She also taught for one year at St. Xavier University in Chicago as the Interim Director of Instrumental Ensembles, and three years teaching high school and middle school band in the Humble Independent School District in Houston, Texas.

Neal has served as a guest conductor for honor bands across the United States and Canada, and has collaborated with several renowned composers including Frank Ticheli, David Maslanka, Carter Pann, John Mackey, David Sampson, and John Cheetham. Her professional affiliations include the College Band Director’s National Association (CBDNA), National Association for Music Education (NAfME), Phi Beta Mu, and she is an honorary member of both Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma.

email: amneal2@eiu.edu

Mr. David Boggs

Assistant Director of Bands
Director of the Panther Marching & Pep Bands

David Boggs just concluded his 20th year as the Director of Athletic Bands at McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois. He was the Director of the Marching Bearcat Band and Pep Bands, served as the Director of the Music in Our Schools Program, and coordinated many aspects of music student recruitment.   He was one of the chief architects in designing the music education, music business and jazz performance degree programs.  During his time there he pioneered the Young People’s Concerts (three different series of concerts, the Preview of Champions and Small Band Marching Band Festivals, the DCI St Louis Show, the Midwest Percussion Camp and Phantom Regiment Summer Music Camps as well multitude of other music education-based clinics, concerts and events.

Prior work experience includes being the Director of Bands at Rolling Meadows where he hosted the Jazz in the Meadows Jazz Festival and Newton High Schools (IL) as well as working at Indiana University (Associate Instructor) and Purdue University.  In addition, Mr. Boggs has served as the Corps Director for the Music City Drum and Bugle Corps (2014 and 2015 seasons) and been on brass staff for The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps (1990) and Music City Drum Corps (2013).  Past marching experience included being a former marching member of The Cavaliers Drum Corps (1985).  He was also a clinician for the Smith-Walbridge Drum Major Camp for ten years.

Mr. Boggs has presented clinics on  topics such as presenting young people’s concerts, student recruitment at the collegiate level, and administering successful festivals and events at the CBDNA, ILMEA and IAJE conventions.  He is an active concert and jazz adjudicator for Music in the Parks and other organizations.  Mr. Boggs is also an active marching, concert and jazz adjudicator and clinician in the Midwest and Southeast area for Nottelmann Music Company located in St. Louis, Missouri.  He resides in Breese, Illinois with his two daughters, Savannah and Zora.

email: dgboggs@eiu.edu