Jon Sweet

Associate Professor, Director of Athletic Bands, Symphonic Band

In demand as a program coordinator and visual designer for marching bands, Dr. Jon Sweet has a reputation for his energetic performances throughout the United States. Dr. Sweet holds the position of Director of Athletic Bands, Associate Director of Bands, and Associate Professor of Music, Career track at Washington State University where he directs the Cougar Marching Band, Symphonic Band, and is instrumental in the instruction of musicians throughout the School of Music.

Prior to his appointment at WSU, Dr. Sweet enjoyed six years at Purdue University, where he conducted the Concert Band, Gold and Black Sound (the Women’s Basketball Pep-Band), was the advisor for the Gamma Pi chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, taught the Band and Engineering Learning Community, and was an Associate Director for the “All-American” Marching Band, where he was the drill designer. He was named the Purdue University Learning Community “Advocate of the Year” in 2019.

He received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Kentucky in 2019, where his dissertation focused on the genesis and analysis of John Mackey’s Wine-Dark Sea: Symphony for Band and also holds degrees from Stephen F. Austin State University and Abilene Christian University. He makes frequent academic conference presentations at regional and national conferences, including the CBDNA Athletic Band Symposium.

An active member in marching band pageantry arts, Dr. Sweet has designed over 300 shows and adjudicates marching bands throughout the United States. His designs have been featured at major high school competitions including Bands of America Regionals, Super Regionals, Grand Nationals, State Marching Contests, and many major college football conferences including the SEC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 12, WAC, Sun Belt, and Conference USA. Dr. Sweet spent 11 years as a public-school band director in Texas, where his groups achieved superior ratings, best in class awards, best in festival awards, outstanding visual awards, and outstanding general effect awards. He has also served as a guest honor concert band conductor for groups in Colorado, Indiana, Idaho, and Wisconsin.