Tom Everett ’66, MS ’69

Lifetime Achievement Award

Tom Everett ’66, MS ’69 Tom Everett graduated from the School of Music in 1966 and earned his MS three years later, with both degrees in music education. Tom took his talent and the skills learned at IC to Harvard University in 1971, where he served as director of bands and founded the university’s jazz program.

Along with pioneering the jazz program at Harvard, Tom organized and conducted the Harvard Jazz Bands, Harvard Wind Ensemble, and Harvard Summer Pops Band. After four decades of coordinating and conducting athletic events, commencements, diplomatic greetings, trumpet fanfares, and parades, Tom stepped down in 2013. He is director emeritus of bands and jazz advisor to the Office for the Arts.

An enthusiast of the bass trombone, Tom premiered more than 30 works for solo bass trombone or bass trombone in chamber music, many of which he commissioned. A passionate advocate for the sometimes-challenging genre of jazz, Tom has taught and mentored students in performance throughout his career at Harvard.

Tom has performed with the Bolshoi Ballet, Boston Pops, Portland Symphony, and the bands of Tommy Dorsey, Dizzy Gillespie, and Ray Charles. He conducted on J.J. Johnson’s The Brass Orchestra, which was nominated for three Grammys.

As the only IC alumnus to be awarded the prestigious Harvard Medal, the highest honor bestowed to a member of the Harvard community, Tom’s lifetime of achievements reflects the integrity of Ithaca College and the School of Music.

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