Randal Dickerson has served as a professor of music education and director of the Blugold Marching Band (BMB) for the past 25 years. This December, he will officially retire and eventually hand off the BMB director position to someone new.
Before his time at UW-Eau Claire, Dickerson was a high school band director for seven years in Mississippi and Washington state. He received his doctorate in education from the University of Illinois and went into administration for that institution.
“The whole time I was there, I wanted to get back into music,” Dickerson said. “I wanted to have an ensemble again — to do a marching band and things like that. One of the professors from UW-Eau Claire called me and asked if I had a student who might be interested in a position.”
Dickerson said he decided to take the opportunity himself and started at UW-Eau Claire as a professor of music education in 2000.
He handled a variety of roles: supervising student teachers, directing the University Band and women’s chorus, organizing the Blugold Athletic Band and advising the BMB.
At the time of Dickerson’s arrival, there were only 60 members of the BMB. The students were there to fulfill a degree requirement, and there was a lack of excitement and passion. By his third year, however, Dickerson said the energy started to increase.
“They realized that we could have fun with it,” Dickerson said. “I was there to work with them and develop our own new style with a lot of choreography, dancing and energy. That really took off.”
Dickerson said by 2005, the band had already increased to 150, with a steady addition of about 30 members each year following that.
Currently, the BMB has over 470 members. One of them is fourth-year political science major McKayla Reuter who has been a part of the trumpet section throughout her time at UW-Eau Claire.
“Dr. Dickerson built this band from the ground up,” Reuter said. “He knows what it takes to be successful, but more importantly, he knows how to make it enjoyable. There was never a day that I didn’t want to show up to rehearsal or a performance because I knew I would leave smiling.”
Dickerson has written and arranged all of the music for the BMB since 2003. His arrangements are played around the nation, but he said they are written based on the particular talents the BMB has that year and which sections are the strongest.
“One of our claims-to-fame is that we never play stock music. Everything that has ever been played by the BMB has been written specifically for the BMB,” Dickerson said. “Other bands can use it after we have, but it’s written for us.”
The BMB performed their 2024 half-time show for the last time on Nov. 2, which also marked its final field show under Dickerson’s direction.
According to Dickerson, he “got a little choked up,” especially towards the end when the band sang “What a Wonderful World” together, which occurs at every last field show of the season. It is a tradition that Dickerson started years ago.
After the final show of the season, the Blugold football team brought Dickerson out to the 50-yard line to recognize him for his work and present him with helmets signed by each member. Dickerson said he really appreciates the support from athletics.
“I owe the success of the band to the quality of students here at UW-Eau Claire,” Dickerson said. “These students are just better than in other places; they’re hardworking and will do anything you ask them to do. Once they find their footing, you can’t hold them back.”
Dickerson was also presented the Honorary Alumnus Award from the UW-Eau Claire Alumni Association at the band’s most recent indoor concert at the Pablo Center.
“I think he deserves all of this and more,” Reuter said. “He has truly dedicated so much to this band, and thousands of students never would’ve gotten this opportunity if it weren’t for him. I think the best way to thank him for his work is to let him go off, travel the world and enjoy retirement.”
Dickerson has traveled to 91 countries — 21 of those for the BMB’s international trips he has organized — and said he hopes to reach 100 by next August.
While abroad this spring, Dickerson said he plans to stay in contact with the BMB members to begin writing the music and planning for the 2025 show. This summer, he will help to provide that transition for the new director.
“He has left such a memorable impact,” Reuter said. “Whoever comes next has some very big shoes to fill. Dr. Dickerson will be greatly missed by all of us. He has made our world so wonderful, and we love him so much.”
Matczak can be reached at [email protected].
