OGDEN, Utah -- When Professor Thomas Root looks back on his career, he sees as series of crescendos and diminuendos, and with the perspective time allows he now sees persistence brought him to his position as director of bands at Weber State University.
“Persistence is the greatest virtue,” Dr. Root said. “No matter what happens, you will have your ups and your downs, but as long as you hang in there and you improve things that you can, and you develop the things you already know work, you can do well.”
Under his direction, the music department recruited talented students and toured national and internationally nine times in his 30 years. He's also the kind of professor who keeps tabs on his former students.
“I can tell you he has a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of passion,” said his student Jim Fanjul. “He might not always know what to say, but you know whatever he is with full heart.”
The professor is also a composer, and he thought it a fitting goodbye to put together a concert series throughout the year made up of his own work. The first concert is November 6 at Weber State University, click here for details and ticketing information.
“I'm going to miss it, but I would rather not leave when people say he should have left two years ago,” Root said. “I'm looking forward to the opportunity to do something different”.
Root said he has nine objectives in retirement; primarily he plans to focus on publishing his music.
