By TYLER ELLYSON
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – Tyler Hawk was meeting with University of Nebraska at Kearney band section leaders this summer when he heard a familiar phrase from one of the students.
“It’s fun to be good.”
Hawk had used those same words during his time teaching the drum line at Tulane University. Hearing them again during his visit to UNK solidified his decision to become a Loper.
Students should enjoy making music and being part of the band community, he believes, but that doesn’t mean lowering expectations.
“They can have fun while working hard at the same time,” Hawk said.
That philosophy will guide Hawk as he takes over as UNK’s new assistant director of bands. The percussion instructor and assistant professor of music will work alongside longtime UNK faculty member and alumnus Brian Alber, who was promoted to director of bands after 14 years as the program’s assistant director.
Together, they’re focused on strengthening a program that challenges musicians, builds community and creates a place where students from across campus can belong.
“It’s student-driven,” Alber said. “The students are very much an important part of how we build the program. They want to be challenged and pushed to become better versions of themselves and to grow as musicians and people.”
A familiar feeling
Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, Hawk moved to Kearney on Aug. 1 for his first full-time faculty position.
He recently completed a Doctor of Musical Arts in percussion performance at Louisiana State University after earning a master’s degree in music education from the University of Mississippi and bachelor’s degrees in music and psychology from Tulane University.
Hawk spent the past four years instructing the drum line at Tulane, an experience that made UNK immediately feel familiar. Like UNK, Tulane’s marching band includes students from a variety of academic programs who participate because they enjoy performing and the relationships that come with it.
“They’re not all music majors, but they’re all there because they want to have fun and they love band,” Hawk said.
He saw that same enthusiasm during the interview process at UNK, when he had the opportunity to lead a master class and interact directly with students.
“I could tell that they’re very eager to learn, and you can’t ask for more,” he said.
UNK’s student-centered approach and strong sense of community were major attractions, too.
“When I was doing my research and looking at UNK, I really enjoyed seeing that it’s very student-focused and very community-driven,” Hawk said. “And that was just strengthened when I came here for the interview and got to hear people saying how much they appreciate the community.”
As assistant director of bands, Hawk will co-direct the Pride of the Plains Marching Band and pep band and lead the drum line and Percussion Ensemble. He’ll also conduct the Symphonic Band in the spring and teach courses in music education and percussion, along with individual lessons and studio instruction.
He’s particularly interested in expanding performance opportunities for percussion students, including participation in state and national Percussive Arts Society events and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention.
“I’m really excited to be here,” he said. “I’m excited to see what we can accomplish together and what the students end up absorbing from me.”
A new role
A professor of music, Alber enters his 15th year at UNK with a new title and responsibilities.
The Lincoln native spent his previous 14 years as assistant director of bands. Now, he’ll direct the Wind Ensemble while continuing to co-direct the Pride of the Plains Marching Band and pep band. He’s also taking over conducting courses while continuing to teach secondary music education and lead the graduate music education program.
“I’m excited about that because it’s a good opportunity for me to continue growing,” Alber said. “I never want to get complacent in what I’m doing as a teacher or as a musician.”
Alber earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from UNK, a master’s degree in wind conducting from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a doctorate in wind band conducting from the University of Northern Colorado. Before joining UNK, he taught high school band for seven years at York, Aurora, Holdrege and Plattsmouth.
Those experiences ultimately led him back to higher education and his alma mater.
His high school students’ interest in becoming music teachers “inspired me to become a professor and help prepare the next generation of music educators,” Alber said.
Although the promotion gives him new opportunities as an educator and conductor, his primary motivation hasn’t changed.
“I’m excited to continue working with the students,” he said. “That’s always what it boils down to. That’s why I got into teaching in the first place.”
Alber sees that same student-first approach in his new colleague.
“First and foremost, Tyler is a great percussion teacher,” Alber said. “That’s the thing that stood out the most to me during the interview process. We want great teachers working with our students, and I truly believe Tyler is going to be a fantastic teacher.”
Hawk’s marching band background and ideas for the Pride of the Plains and drum line were also a natural fit.
“Watching him interact with students and help them grow musically as percussionists, I’m incredibly excited for that,” Alber said.
Something for everyone
About 100 students participate in UNK bands throughout the academic year, and roughly half of the members in its ensembles are non-music majors.
The Pride of the Plains Marching Band has 69 members this fall, including 21 in the drum line. Other performance opportunities include the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Percussion Ensemble, Jazz/Rock Ensemble, Chamber Ensemble, Kearney Symphony Orchestra and pep band, along with several other smaller groups.
“There are lots of different opportunities,” Alber said. “We have something for virtually everyone.”
That accessibility is an important part of Alber’s vision for the program. He wants to continue increasing participation among music majors and students pursuing other academic interests while building stronger concert ensembles and creating additional performance opportunities.
One of the program’s biggest opportunities is already on the calendar. The Pride of the Plains will travel to Italy to perform in the Rome New Year’s Day Parade and Festival in 2027, representing UNK and Nebraska alongside bands from around the world.
On campus, Alber believes the band program’s value extends well beyond performances.
Students help establish and maintain traditions, and those relationships often continue long after graduation. Alumni return for concerts and the alumni band because their involvement becomes more than an undergraduate activity.
“Once you become part of the band program here at UNK, it isn’t just a four-year process,” Alber said. “It’s very much about becoming an embedded part of the program over a long, sustained period of time.”
Band also gives students a chance to be “part of something that’s bigger than themselves,” he added. That aspect is particularly valuable for new students arriving on campus.
“One big thing, especially for incoming freshmen, is the opportunity to have a community right off the bat,” Hawk said. “That’s super valuable.”
It’s a community where students support one another, push themselves to improve and, as Hawk quickly learned, understand that working hard and having fun don’t have to be competing ideas.
After all, “It’s fun to be good.”
