Mark Hindsley papers

Mark Hindsley (1905-1999) was born and raised on a farm near Union City, Indiana. He began to study the cornet at the age of ten, joining family orchestras, Sunday school orchestras, and the city band. He attended Indiana University from 1921 until 1925, graduating with a degree in chemistry. While studying there, he served as the first chair cornet player and the student assistant band director. After graduation he became the university band director at Indiana University while he completed an M.A. in Music (1927). From 1929 until 1934, Hindsley was the director of instrumental music in the public schools of Cleveland Heights, increasing enrollment and winning a number of prizes while in that position.

In 1934, University of Illinois offered him a position as Assistant Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Music. He would remain at University of Illinois until his retirement in 1970 with a brief hiatus from 1942 to 1946 while serving as a band director in the Army Air Forces. In 1946, Hindsley was elected president of the College Band Directors National Association. A decade later, in 1957, he became president of the American Bandmasters Association.

Throughout his career, Hindsley was in demand as a clinician; as a guest director and adjudicator he worked with local high school band students as well as professional bands around the world. He published seven books and wrote many articles and speeches about music education and band performance. He transcribed over 75 orchestral works for band, many of which were recorded by the University of Illinois Concert Band.