LOCAL LOVE Leader of the Band By Ann Cipperly Carrying on his family’s love of music, Dr. Corey Spurlin has directed the Auburn University Marching Band for 17 years, planning innovative and spectacular halftime shows. The professor of music also teaches and conducts other Auburn bands, as well as being in outreach programs at other areas. This coming June, Corey will conduct a national collegiate mass band for a special 80th Anniversary celebration of D-Day in Normandy, France. 10 EAST ALABAMA LIVING
Photos provided by Dr. Corey Spurlin Corey grew up in Anniston surrounded by music leaders. His father was his band director in middle and high school. His grandfather also had a love of music and taught singing schools for churches, with Corey’s father playing the piano. “My father and grandfather passed on a love of music to me,” says Corey. “I began as a trumpet performance major at the University of Alabama, but I found myself talking and thinking more about teaching than performance. I changed my major to music education.” When Corey graduated from Alabama in December 1999, he began teaching middle school in Tuscaloosa. After one semester, he became the band director at Tuscaloosa County High School. “I really wanted to direct a marching band,” he says, “and teach a higher level of band music. The opportunity to move to the high school level fit my career goals.” Two years later, he had the opportunity to return to the University of Alabama as the interim assistant director of the marching band, pep band director, and conductor of the Symphonic Band while working on his Master’s degree. He then attended Louisiana State University (LSU) for his doctorate. A year after his move to Baton Rouge, Corey married his wife Ashley, who had been a violinist in the orchestra when they met at Alabama. While at LSU, Corey was a graduate assistant for the concert bands, Tiger Marching Band and Pep Band for basketball, directing them at the 2006 Final Four. He received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in wind conducting in 2007. In spring of that year, Corey was hired at With care comes confidence From personal assistance and companionship to 24/7 care and even family caregiver respite, we provide full support for fuller lives. Auburn University as the Marching Band director, associate director of Bands and assistant professor of music. He has since been promoted to associate professor with tenure and now professor of Music. He also directs the Pep Band for basketball, conducts a concert band, and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in music. Corey’s halftime shows have been innovative over the years. “The halftime shows are a team effort,” he says. “We get music suggestions from students and fans. Nikki Gross, assistant director of Athletic Bands since 2015, and I typically brainstorm different ideas.” Eight years ago, he decided to enhance halftime shows by collaborating with other entities that are not typically associated with the band. In 2017, they collaborated with electrical engineering students to build LED light strips to fit around band member’s hats. For a night game, they can turn lights down in the stadium and light up the band. They can individually program every band member’s hat, and the lights can create patterns and designs. Corey and his team once collaborated with NASA to create a space-themed show Call us. We listen. 334-203-1850 SYNERGYHomeCare.com EAST ALABAMA LIVING 11
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