Tom Cox, band director for Goshen High School, was recently selected as a recipient of the Bandworld Magazine Legion of Honor award for 2009.

Administered through the John Philip Sousa Foundation, the Legion of Honor award was established in 1989 to recognize and honor eight of the nation’s finest band directors each year.

“It’s a great honor. I certainly didn’t expect it,” said Cox, who will be accepting the honor Friday during the annual Sousa Foundation awards ceremony during the Midwest Band Clinic in Chicago. “Certainly there are a lot of other great bands around Indiana, and it’s great to be in that company. It’s also nice for other people around the state to recognize us here in Goshen. We try very hard to be a balanced program, and it’s nice to be recognized for that.”

In order to be eligible for the award, nominees must first meet a number of strict requirements, including:

• Experiencing tenure of at least 15 years as a school band director, the greater portion of which must be served in the same school;

• Maintaining a concert band program of superior musical excellence during his or her tenure;

• Actively participating as a member of his or her local, state, and/or national band organizations while also having served as an officer in one or more of them;

• Achieving a consistent pattern of superior awards at district, state, regional and/or national festivals and/or other adjudicated performances.

With regard to his teaching career, Cox certainly has the experience, having taught for six years at Edgewood High School in Ellettsville before moving on to Goshen, where he is now in his ninth year as director of bands.

Through his position as director, Cox is responsible for a number of music programs, including the school’s Wind Ensemble, the Advanced Crimson Jazz Ensemble, the Crimson Marching Band, the Crimson Percussion Ensemble, and assisting the Symphonic Band.

That said, Cox was quick to note that he could not do what he does without the help of the other band directors at GHS.

“I teach with some great guys,” Cox said. “I certainly want to give credit to Max Mault. He starts the kids out in the middle school, and he’s a great teacher. And then of course there’s Josh Kaufman — he’s an award winner in his own right.

“It’s just great to work with a great team,” he said.

And if the school’s musical accomplishments are any indication, it appears that spirit of teamwork has paid off.

“I guess I push pretty hard, but certainly I’ve learned to let others step to the front,” Cox said. “When I came to Goshen it certainly became more of a team thing. When I was at Edgewood I was all by myself, so it has definitely made a difference.”

Some of the music program’s more notable accomplishments to date include:

• The Advanced Jazz Ensemble being named “Judges’ Choice” at the Purdue University Jazz Festival.

• The Crimson Percussion Ensemble taking state championships in both 2003 and 2006.

• The Crimson Percussion Ensemble taking the national title in 2005 and the national runners-up title in 2008.

As an added bonus, the Goshen Crimson Marching Band also made it to the state finals for the first time this year as a Class A division band, something GHS Band Boosters President Mike Sullivan sees as an obvious example of Cox’s successful teaching style.

“I was surprised to hear he’d won the award, but only because we are from such a tiny little town. But as far as his abilities as a director, no I’m not surprised at all,” said Sullivan after learning of Cox’s award Wednesday. “When you take a band from a small town and you can get them all the way to state at the top level, especially in a state like Indiana that has such stiff competition, I’m just really proud of what he and the kids have accomplished.”

Fellow Band Booster Kim Everingham agreed.

“We’ve had three children in the Goshen High School Band, with our youngest being a senior this year. So he has had all three of our daughters through band,” Everingham said. “It’s just a great experience to work with him. He’s very dedicated to teaching these kids, and pushing them to be the best that they can be.

“I know he has worked very hard to continually improve the program, and keep the high standards of learning up there. He sacrifices a lot to make this program what it is today,” she said.

Band booster Teresa Mack added, “I know all the directors at Goshen work hard and (am) pleased to hear that he is getting some outside recognition for that.”

Mel Carpenter, band director for Fairfield High School, also had some words of praise for Cox and his successful career with GHS.

“The entire music program at Goshen is a very good caliber. I think he does a really good job in all areas: concert band, jazz band and marching band,” Carpenter said. “What I like about his program most I think is that the kids really play well. That’s the real testament to his abilities as a band director.

“I really appreciate the work he has done there, especially at a large school like that with so many students. The results of what he does speak for themselves.”

Cox is a graduate of Ball State University with a bachelor of science degree in music education and in 2006 earned his master of music degree in conducting from the American Band College of Southern Oregon University.

He lives in Goshen with his wife, Amy, and two daughters, Sydney and Faith.