Dr. David Maslanka passed away on August 6, 2017. One of the most prolific composers of wind band music, Dr. Maslanka’s works have been performed regularly in major countries around the world. He was the commissioned composer for Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma’s National Commissioning Program in 1995, and the National Intercollegiate Band performed his work A Tuning Piece: Songs of Fall and Winter. Other works commissioned by chapters of Kappa Kappa Psi include In Memoriam and Traveler.
Dr. Maslanka is an honorary member of the Delta Sigma chapter at the University of Texas at Arlington and the Gamma Phi chapter at Stephen F. Austin State University. David Maslanka’s memory will live on through his significant contributions to the wind band repertoire and the countless number of students, conductors, and musicians who will continue to perform his works and share his music. Kappa Kappa Psi mourns Dr. Maslanka’s passing, and we send our thoughts and prayers to his family. We also send our gratitude for a life well-lived and his positive impact on college and university bands.