Faces of Newton County 2015
The Covington News
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Alan FOWLER
Music to Eastside’s ears
A
s an adult, Alan Fowler loves spending time
teaching and learning and being in the classroom. The Eastside High School Band Director is
described that way today, because a young Alan Fowler really wanted to get out of class early.
When Fowler was in fifth grade, he noticed a group of his fellow students got
to get out of regular class every day. He didn’t know much about why they did
it, but knew for 30 minutes he could be with them in the cafeteria/auditorium’s
stage instead of at his desk.
So he signed up for beginning band. There Fowler learned from a band teacher who specialized in playing the tuba, and wanted to learn from who he saw as a
master of the instrument
It turns out he had the stuff to play the instrument that was larger than he
was. He became an all-state band member at Morgan County High School and in
his junior year played in the Governor’s Honor band.
That was where his band director and mentor Jeffrey Rouser suggested he
may want to go into teaching.
Still, Fowler didn’t quite know what he wanted to do, except continuing to
play his tuba and participating in band. He went to the University of Georgia to
major in music and then Ball State for graduate school.
After graduate school, he met up with Rouser again, who at this time was
the band director at Salem High School. Rouser suggested Fowler become his
assistant director, and his former pupil decided he would try it out for a little
while.
“I thought I would be at Salem for three or four years as assistant band director,” Fowler said. “However the director at Eastside chose to retire."
Fowler decided to jump at the opportunity at a school that hadn’t really established a band identity yet.
“It was a chance to build a band program from the ground up,” Fowler said. “It
was a chance to do the Eagle Band early and let it be what it could be.”
From his days as a tuba player, Fowler knew the importance of bass in a band
and having a “good bottom,” and that’s the sound he built at Eastside. He also
recognized that high school band was more than just a marching band, it was all
encompassing from marching, to jazz, symphonic and concert bands.
“For me, band is a multi-faceted program,” Fowler said. “Over the years we
have created a fine band program with two concert bands, a jazz band and a
marching band.”
He also prides himself on getting the students exposure at different concerts
and locations, including Hollywood, California, where the marching band will
perform in the 2015 Hollywood Christmas Parade. He has similar aspirations for
the symphonic band, which he sets as a priority to get it invited to play somewhere next year.
Those duties alone make Fowler a busy man, who is dedicated to his craft and
his community. However throughout the last year those facets of his life have
You’ve Got a Friend
in Covington.
PATSY MITCHELL
BRUCE BARTHOLOMEW
THOMAS KEPHART
BRENDA CRONAN
JEANETTE BERRY
www.accessunited.com
COVINGTON
7200 Highway 278 NE
(678) 342–7211
Continued on PAGE 21
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