Southeastern NEWS
Southeastern Louisiana University
Public Information Office
publicinfo@selu.edu
SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
Date: 4/19/99
Contact: Christina Chapple 95
Editors: Photos accompany release Please note local interest
TWO NAMED TO SLU MUSIC HALL OF FAME
HAMMOND -- Two new members will be inducted into the Southeastern Louisiana
University Music Department "Music Hall of Fame" at the April 29 concert featuring the
Southeastern Jazz Ensemble.
The free concert, which is part of the department's spring "Encore!" music series, is
scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in the Pottle Music Building Auditorium. The concert will be followed
by a reception in the lobby of the Pottle Music Building.
The Music Hall of Fame recognizes Southeastern graduates "who have distinguished
themselves in their careers and personal lives and who have brought favorable recognition to the
university and the Music Department." 1999 inductees are Leif Pedersen of Slidell, a vocalist
who founded Southeastern's "Students of the States" musical ambassadors, and Guy C. Wood of
Jefferson, band director and fine arts coordinator at Edna Karr Magnet School in New
Orleans and a music educator for three decades.
Pedersen, director of Community Relations and Development for Methodist Health
System of New Orleans, attended Southeastern from 1967-1971, majoring in speech, theatre and
music. As a vocalist, he performed in the music department's productions of "Oklahoma,"
"Carnival" and "Brigadoon." Pedersen also organized the volunteer ensemble of student singers
and entertainers, the "Students of the States," who actively represented Southeastern in the
community for the next 20 years.
Pedersen serves as Methodist Health System's spokesperson, oversees hospital related
publications and is responsible for development programs and fund-raising special events. He is
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active in the Association of Hospital Philanthropy, were he serves as regional director and
international board member.
After leaving Southeastern, Pedersen was manager of live shows and entertainment at Six
Flags over Georgia, coordinator of student activities at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
and coordinator of special events and alumni programming for Tulane University in New
Orleans.
Throughout the years, he has maintained a busy performing career with his own night
club acts in Florida, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New Orleans. He toured internationally for six
years as featured soloist and manager of The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. Additionally, he has
been featured vocalist with the Vaughn Monroe Orchestra and the big bands of Woody Herman,
Pete Fountain, Ronnie Kole, and Herb Tassin. Since 1994, he has appeared with the "Al Belletto
Big Jazz Band featuring Leif Pedersen."
He is a recipient of the Scandinavian Image Award and has served as developer and
chairman of the Pottle Endowment Fund named in honor of Dr. Ralph R. Pottle, founder of the
music department at Southeastern.
Pedersen is married to the former Sheryl Oltmanns, a health educator with the Tulane
University School of Public Health, and they have a three-year-old son, Dane.
Wood has taught in the Louisiana public schools for thirty years and is in his 13th year as
band director at Karr Magnet School. The Karr Concert Band is the only band in the New
Orleans area to receive "superior" ratings for the past 13 consecutive years in the district festival
of the Louisiana Music Educators Association. Under Wood's direction, the band has received
superior ratings at the state level in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Florida. In 1997 it was one
of only eight bands from the United States to win an invitation to the Paris Parade Festival 1998
in France.
Wood received a bachelor's degree in music education degree from Southeastern in 1968
and master's degree in 1991. He has studied also at Tulane University, Loyola University,
Nicholls State University and the University of New Orleans. He is a member of the of the board
of directors for the Louisiana music education coalition, the Louisiana Alliance for Arts
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Education and a past member of the National Assembly of the Music Educators National
conference. Wood served 12 years as New Orleans District director of the Louisiana Music
Educators Association (LMEA) and most recently as president of the state-wide LMEA
organization.
In addition to his teaching activities at all levels in the public school system from
elementary through high school, Wood remains active in community arts programs. He serves as
musical director of the Children's Theatre of Jefferson United Methodist Church, as director of
the Big Easy Jazz Ensemble, and as adjudicator and clinician of local, as well as international,
music festivals.
He has been honored as Junior High Instrumental Music Teacher and Outstanding Music
Educator in New Orleans, was one of only five performing arts teachers in the United States
recognized on television by "The Disney Channel Salutes the American Teacher" and has been
named twice to "Who's Who Among America's Teachers." His performance credits include
Tulane University's Summer Lyric Theatre; Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre, the University of
New Orleans's La Mise en Scene Theatre and Gallery Circle Theatre.
Wood is also a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Louisiana Bandmasters Association,
Phi Beta Mu and the National Band Association. He is married to the former Barbara Perrilloux
of Natalbany and they have four children, Wendy, Tracy, Guy Jr., and Jonathon.
For additional information, call the Southeastern music department, 504-549-2341.
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