Randall Coleman says it’s ‘a tremendous honor’ to be at UTC

Randall Coleman has been announced as the new director of bands at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

He previously was associate director of the Million Dollar Band at the University of Alabama and will start at UTC on July 1.

“It is a tremendous honor to be named as the director of bands at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga,” Coleman said. “I am a believer in the quote ‘It takes a village’ and, in the case of a university band program, that quote is especially true. In order to fulfill a vision, it takes a team effort from us all.”

Stuart Benkert, head of the UTC Department of Music, called Coleman “a perfect match for the new UTC Music program and our revitalized marching band.”

“Randall brings a history of success and a lifetime of high expectations, both of which will be necessary to fulfill the promise we make to our students to provide the most relevant experience possible while representing the entire student body, representing UTC with pride, excitement and quality, and engaging our community with important events in the Chattanooga region.”

Craig Davis, the last full-time director of bands at UTC, resigned in 2019, and Michael Griffith has been interim director since.

“I stand on the shoulders of the UTC band directors who came before me,” Coleman said, “and I couldn’t be more inspired to be a part of such a rich history and legacy as we all work toward providing the UTC students with positive learning experiences through the pursuit of excellence in all that we do.”

While at  the University of Alabama, Coleman conducted the Million Dollar Band in performances at the Southeastern Conference Football Championships, the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, and the Mercedes-Benz Dome in Atlanta.

He received a Bachelor of Science in Music Education at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama, and a Master of Music Education from Georgia State University in Atlanta.