Musicians’ Banquets
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Bill Gunn was Director of Food Services from 1961 to 1983. He passed away in November of 1991. Bill and his wife, Georgia, were avid supporters of good music and of the Evangel Music Department. Although cognizant of the value of recognizing the achievement of athletes, Gunn chafed under the idea that they should be having banquets and programs every year while campus musicians were going, as he used to say, “largely unrecognized.” The idea of honoring student musicians resonated with the music faculty. With the support of the Gunns, the first annual Musicians’ Banquet was held in Crusader Hall on Friday evening, April 17 (Good Friday), 1981 at 7:30 p.m. The program featured pianist Herbert Johnson, from the music faculty and the Springfield String Quartet. Winners of music scholarships, students with high academic achievement, and outstanding performers were recognized. A tradition was established and has continued unabated to the present. Every spring semester, the Music Department schedules a banquet for honoring Evangel musicians.