Mike Burch-Pesses: Leadership by Example

My ongoing search for performance videos of members of the Navy Musicians Association has unleashed a lot of laughter.

Today, I've found a clip of NMA member Mike Burch-Pesses, Director of Bands at Pacific University, delivering closing remarks at the "Music In May" high school music festival and conducting the combined orchestra, band and chorus.

But this time, I'm not laughing. Rather, I'm standing at attention in front of my computer, saluting my old bandmaster.

I never met a finer commissioned officer than Mike Burch-Pesses. He brought to the 7th Fleet Band a daring and risky management technique--leadership by example--that pushed the band to new levels of musical performance and personal behavior.

In this video clip from the conclusion of last year's festival, Mike's inspiring, challenging address to the audience, his conducting of the massed ensembles--and his surprise transformation that leads up to that show-stopper--demonstrate that Commander Burch-Pesses's leadership style hasn't changed.