David Whitwell is one of the most influential college band directors of the twentieth century and the author of more than forty books on music, education, history and aesthetics. In this new collection of essays, Essays on the Modern Wind Band, he provides a broad perspective of the American Wind Band from his lifetime of experience as performer, teacher, conductor and musiclogist. Through a series of enlightening and thought-provoking essays, David Whitwell provides his unique opinion on such topics as wind band history, repertoire, ethics, and education, as well as behind-the-scenes stories of band organizations, composers, conductors and competitions. The book concludes with an intimate portrait of his long-time friend, Frederick Fennell.