Allen E. Beck
Commander, United States Navy (Retired)

The musical career of Commander Allen E. Beck began in Defiance, Ohio, where he began playing piano at the age of five. Two years later, he extended this study to the saxophone and clarinet. His ability earned him a position in the Defiance High School band while still in the seventh grade. Throughout high school, he was solo clarinetist with the band and earned first chair position in the "All Ohio Boy's Band" for two successive years, appearing with that group at the Ohio State Fair. He also played one season with the Fort Wayne (Indiana) Philharmonic Orchestra.

Upon graduation from high school, he was awarded a scholarship to attend the Eastman School of Music, where he majored in music education. He was a member of the well know Eastman Wind Ensemble and performed under the batons of Dr. Frederick Fennell, Dr. Howard Hanson, and with the Eastman Wind Ensemble. He was a conducting student of Frederick Fennell, Robert Gerle, and Donald Thulean. He holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Catholic University in Washington, DC, and continued graduate studies at Catholic University and the University of Maryland.

A member of the Naval Reserve since 1954, Commander Beck enlisted in the regular Navy on February 14, 1957. After a short period at Bainbridge, Md., and the Navy's School of Music (then in Washington, D. C.) he was selected for duty as a clarinetist with the United States Navy Band in May of 1957.

In July of 1960, he left the band to gain more experience in the Navy's music program, becoming a woodwind instructor at the Navy School of Music. Upon graduation from the school's fifty-two week advanced course of instruction, he was assigned as Leader of the band serving the Commander Naval Air Forces, Pacific Fleet. As Chief Musician, he held this position until August of 1964.

His next assignment sent him to the Music Branch of the Bureau of Naval Personnel where he was responsible for the placement of Navy musicians throughout the fleet as well as Material Assistant for the music program.

In April of 1966, he was appointed Warrant Officer and following a brief indoctrination course at Newport, Rhode Island, became Director of the band for the Chief of Naval Air Advanced Training, based at the Naval Air Station at Corpus Christi, Texas. With this unit, he traveled extensively throughout the Southwest.

Commander Beck was promoted to Chief Warrant Officer in April 1968 and became Assistant Training Officer for the Navy's new School of Music in Norfolk, Virginia. A year later, he became the Training Officer for over 500 students. In July, 1969, he was commissioned an Ensign. In January 1970, he was assigned as Personnel Officer at the School of Music.

On July 1, 1970, Mr. Beck was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant (junior grade) and returned for duty with the world famous United States Navy Band, this time as the band's Assistant Leader. In April of 1972, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.

In May 1973, Commander Beck assumed duties in the Bureau of Naval Personnel as Program Manager for the Navy's Band Program. As administrative director for all official Navy bands, Commander Beck was the principal manager for personnel, fiscal, and material matters within the Navy's Music Program. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in September 1978.

In January 1979, Commander Beck assumed duties as Music Director and Officer in Charge of the Naval Academy Band, Annapolis, Maryland. In June 1983, he became the first Navy Bandmaster to earn promotion to the rank of Commander through the Navy's selection board process. He was appointed 7th Leader and Music Director of the U. S. Navy Band in Washington, DC in 1984.

He has marched in the Inaugural Parades of Presidents Kennedy, Nixon, Carter, Reagan and Bush, and performed for the Inaugural Balls of Presidents Reagan and Bush. He has performed for Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and for the Heads of State of India, Israel, Pakistan, Japan, Turkey and the Soviet Union. He brought music to 49 of the 50 states, in Canada, South America, the Philippine Islands, Guam, China and Italy, and at such sites as the Kennedy Center, Baltimore, Maryland's Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, and at the Rose Bowl. He opened the National Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Statue of Liberty, and the opening ceremonies of the 1989 Inaugural festivities at the Lincoln Memorial, and has conducted for such celebrities as Shirley Jones, Wayne Rogers, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Bob Hope.

Commander Beck is a member of the American Bandmasters Association and Phi Mu Alpha music fraternity. The Defiance College honored him with a Doctor of Music degree in 1988. His recent positions include Director of Bands at Defiance College, and Associate Conductor and Interim Music Director of the Lima, Ohio Symphony Orchestra and clarinet instructor at Ohio Northern University. He is a festival director/adjudicator, and Advisory Board member for Music Maestro Please, member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Concert Bands, and a conductor for Global Arts and Entertainment, Inc. He resides in Melbourne, Florida with his wife Chloeann and is continuing to serve as an adjudicator, clinician and guest conductor throughout the United States.

HISTORY