James Hudson

James G. Hudson serves as Director of Athletic Bands and is in his 14th year at Arizona State University.  His duties include coordination and direction of the Sun Devil Marching Band, and Athletic Bands.  During his tenure with the SDMB, they have consistently been selected by the College Band Directors National Association as an exemplary collegiate program.  They have performed with Tower of Power, Little Richard, OAR, and the Boston Brass and are one of two bands in the Pac 12 to have been awarded the prestigious Sudler Trophy.

Prior to his appointment at the ASU, he served for three years as Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Kansas and for eleven years as Director of Bands at Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University).  While at the University of Kansas, he directed the University of Kansas Marching Jayhawks, the Volleyball and Basketball Bands, KU Jazz Ensemble II and the University Band.  He also serves as coordinator of the Midwest Music Camps.  While at Southwest Texas, the Pride of the Hillcountry Marching Band performed internationally in Switzerland, Italy, France, and Ireland and nationally at the 1999 Bands of America Grand National Championships.  The band also performed extensively in Texas for the University Interscholastic League and Bands of America.  In 1995, the “Pride” was selected to appear on the Video Express production “Best of the College Bands”.

His public school teaching experience includes one year at Harmony Community Schools in Farmington, IA and nine years at Oskaloosa Community Schools in Oskaloosa, IA.  While at Oskaloosa his band received many honors and distinctions including 4 Bands of America Summer National Class A Championships, performances at the Fiesta Bowl National Pageant of Bands and Parade, 1990 State 3-A Jazz Champions, and 1990 Iowa Bandmasters Honor Jazz Band.

His family includes his wife Denise, who is currently a Colorguard Instructor for the Sun Devil Marching Band, Gilbert High School, and has been on the instructional staff at Oskaloosa High School, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Southwest Texas State University, the University of Kansas, Blue Springs High School, and the Sky Ryders Winterguard.  Additionally, she was co-founder of the Millennia Winterguard from Texas.  They have one son, Aaron, who is a recent graduate as a History and Anthropology Major at ASU and alumni of the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps.

Mr. Hudson received a Bachelors of Music Education Degree from Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State University) and a Masters of Music in Wind Band Conducting from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.  His professional affiliations include CBDNA, Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma, Phi Mu Alpha, Phi Beta Mu, MENC, Texas Music Educators, Texas Bandmasters, Kansas Music Educators, Kansas Bandmasters, Missouri Music Educators, Missouri Bandmasters, and Iowa Bandmasters.  He is a very active adjudicator, drill designer and clinician, and has adjudicated for Bands of America, Western Band Association, the University Interscholastic League (Texas), the Kentucky Music Educators Association, the Kansas Music Educators Association, the Oklahoma Bandmasters Association, the Iowa High School Music Association, and the Iowa Jazz Championships, Inc. as well as many University Sponsored Festivals and Contest. 

He is also currently on the instructional staff for Bowl Games of America, and has assisted in the production of halftime shows for the Liberty Bowl, the Alamo Bowl, the Orange Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, and the BC National Championship Game.