Jackson band honors longtime director

The Jackson Municipal Band performed an extended concert Thursday night in honor of former director Nick Leist, who began as director in 1968 before retiring earlier this year due to health.

Current band director Scott Vangilder said Leist's decades of service to the band deserved recognition.

"If somebody devotes 42 years of his life to Jackson and this band and they retire, we are going to honor him. He is a living musical legend in Jackson. He is Mr. Music," he said.

In addition to conducting the municipal band, Leist also served as the Jackson High School band director before retiring from that position in 1998.

Leist said he was touched that the municipal band planned a concert in his honor.

"I am very humbled," he said. "You never think about things like this. You just go about your day-to-day business and do your job, and I enjoyed doing it very much."

The band presented Leist with a plaque commemorating his decades of service. Vangilder said Leist selected most of the songs in Thursday night's performance.

Leist said he was glad he was able to serve as director for more than four decades.

"I had been thinking about retiring in the next year or so, but my recent heart episode decided it for me," he said.

Leist said Vangilder is a great conductor and that he anticipates the band will flourish under his direction.

Thursday night's concert at the band shell in Jackson City Park opened with a performance by Pat Schwent and Saxy Jazz.

cbartholomew@semissourian.com

243-6635

Pertinent address:

Jackson, MO