James A. "Prof" Jacobsen, 86, a retired director of bands
at TCU, died peacefully in his sleep
Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2006, at his Fort Worth
residence.
Memorial service: 11 a.m. Monday in the
sanctuary of University Christian
Church, with Dr. Alan Lobaugh
officiating. Burial: private. Family
visitation: immediately following the
service.
Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family
requests gifts be made to the
Jim and Wyn
Jacobsen Band Fund, Texas Christian University,
Office of Development, Box 297044, Fort Worth,
Texas 76129; the Boren-Jacobsen Band Scholarship
Fund, Midwestern University, Office of Donor
Services, 3410 Taft St., Wichita Falls, Texas
76308; or University Christian Church, 2720 S.
University Drive,
Fort Worth, Texas 76109.
James Alva Jacobsen was born May 8, 1920, in
Montrose, Colo., to Arthur Chris Jacobsen and
Kathryn Georgia Zunich. He attended public
school in Colorado and held advanced degrees
from the University of Northern Colorado, B.A.
in public school music, 1942; and Texas
Christian University, master of music education,
1952. Jim did graduate study at Vandercook
College of Music in Chicago and, in 1955,
received an honorary doctor of music from
Southern College of Fine Arts in Houston.
Jim was a World War II veteran, serving in the
Army Air Corps. He was stationed at Sheppard Air
Force Base, Wichita Falls, when he was
discharged in 1945. Jim became director of bands
at Midwestern University, where he met his wife,
Wyneth Berry. They were married Dec. 15, 1946,
at First Christian Church in Wichita Falls, and
celebrated their golden wedding anniversary Dec.
15, 1996.
Jim was director of bands at Midwestern
University in Wichita Falls from 1945-1955. He
inaugurated both the band and choir programs at
this institution. He introduced the "8 to 5"
system of marching. In 1955, he became director
of bands and professor of music at Texas
Christian University. "Prof" Jacobsen is known
as the creator of the "Moving Diamond" precision
marching band drill technique. The TCU Marching
Band performed the first of these drills on
national television Jan. 1, 1959, at the Cotton
Bowl, receiving national recognition for this
innovative drill technique. For years after his
retirement in 1982, he was in popular demand as
a clinician, consultant, guest conductor and
judge for band events across the country and in
Europe.
In 1975, Jim was elected to membership in the
American Bandmasters Association. He was a past
national president of Kappa Kappa Psi, national
honorary band fraternity, past southwest
district president of the College Band Directors
National Association and past president and
organizer of the Southwest Conference Band
Directors Association. He was a member since
1946 of the Texas Bandmasters Association,
member of the Texas Music Educators Association,
member of Phi Beta Mu national honorary band
directors' fraternity, charter member of the
National Band Association and member of Phi Mu
Alpha Sinfonia national honorary music
fraternity.
Jim was listed in Who's Who in the South and
Southwest, Who's Who in Music, Who's Who in
Education and the International Who's Who in
Music. He was named one of the 10 most
outstanding educational music directors in the
United States in 1972 by the "School Musician"
magazine. He was named Texas Bandmaster of the
Year 1988 by the Texas Bandmasters Association;
named to the Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame in
1991 by the Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Mu; and
named to the Texas Music Educators Association
Region 5 Bandmasters Hall of Fame as a charter
member in 1993.
At the time of his death, he was executive
secretary of the University Interscholastic
League Region 5 and Area B. He was responsible
for the supervision and management of all public
school band, orchestra and choir contests held
in Region 5, which is composed of more than 350
competing units.
"Prof" loved his work, his students and his
family. He. was an icon for the marching band
profession and leaves a legacy of performing,
teaching and mentoring throughout his life.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his two
brothers; and his wife.
Survivors: His son, Kent Jacobsen and his wife,
Sue, of Richmond, Va.; his stepdaughter, Carol
Alexander and her husband, Denny, of Fort Worth;
grandchildren, Kelly Lewis and her husband,
Stewart, of Richmond, Va., Dr. Chris Jacobsen
and his wife, Tina, of San Diego, Calif., Steven
Jacobsen of Fort Worth, John Jacobsen and his
wife, Stacey, of Bloomington, Ind., Debby Arnold,
and her husband, Bill, and Jeff Alexander and
his wife, Laura, all of Fort Worth; two
great-granddaughters; and four great-grandsons.
more
Published in the
Star-Telegram on 11/9/2006.
