The staff of the Sousa Archives had the honor of visiting with Richard Cogdal on Wednesday, April 29th. Dick shared stories about his time playing bass drum, cymbals, and timpani in the University of Illinois’ Concert Band, under the leadership of A. Austin Harding between 1935 and 1940.  Dick received a full band scholarship to attend the University as an accounting student, and he earned his Bachelor’s degree in accountancy in 1939 and his Master’s degree in accountancy the following year. Throughout his tenure as a student in Harding’s Concert Band, he developed a lasting rapport with the University’s first band director.  In the following two short video clips Dick recounts his early rehearsal of Harding’s transcription of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition as a cymbal player and his experiences playing weekly live radio shows of the University Concert Band directly from the early band building.

Richard talks about his rehearsal of Harding’s arrangement of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdBT74kZqMQ]

 

Richard talks about the Concert Band’s weekly radio broadcasts.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HU0ME1T1lA]