William P. Foster

Who was William P. Foster?

William Patrick Foster (August 25, 1919 – August 28, 2010), also known as The Law and The Maestro, was the director of the noted Florida A&M University Marching "100". His innovations revolutionized college marching band technique and the perceptions of the collegiate band. Foster was born in Kansas City, Kansas. His mother was a homemaker, and his father was a railway mail clerk. None of his family had the same interest of music that Foster did. William Patrick Foster, also known as The Law and The Maestro, was the director of the noted Florida A&M University Marching "100". He served as the band's director from 1946 to his retirement in 1998. He also served as the president of the American Bandmasters Association and was appointed to the National Council on the Arts by President Bill Clinton. Foster wrote the book titled The Man Behind the Baton.

At age 12, Foster began his music career by buying and learning to play the saxophone and later the clarinet, cello, and cornet.

Historical significance

Foster was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame, the National Association for Distinguished Band Conductors Hall of Fame, the Florida Music Educators Association Hall of Fame and the Afro-American Hall of Fame among others. He was the youngest of four children.