Recipients of the: Legacy Award in Music Education

In 1990 Isaac Bell, Jr. received a Bachelor of Arts in music with a concentration in Trombone, from Alabama State University (ASU). Bell’s advisor during his academic training was Dr. Lemuel Berry, Jr., dean of the School of Music at ASU. Bell has developed a stellar reputation for his numerous musical arrangements, including his arrangements for marching bands, concert jazz bands, symphonic bands, and for the big screen.

Isaac Bell continued his academic preparation and received a Master of Arts in music from ASU in 1999. During his graduate tenure, Bell continued to study the Trombone and took additional music education coursework. In his graduate program, Bell worked under Dr. Horace Lamar, dean of ASU’s School of Music.

Isaac Bell has a long list of professional appearances throughout the Southeastern region. He has performed with the Benedict College Jazz Ensemble (SC), Columbia Dixieland All-Stars and the Jackie Mills Jazz Quintet.

Isaac Bell’s professional appointments include his work at ASU which includes serving as an assistant director of bands, director of the Jazz Ensemble, instructor of the Low-Brass and staff music arranger.

Before taking a position at ASU, Bell worked at several other schools. From 2000 to 2006 Bell served as assistant director of Bands, brass winds instructor, Jazz Combo and chief arranger at Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina. From 1998 to 2000, Bell worked at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia, where he became the low-brass instructor. From 1996 to 1998, Bell became Chief Music Arranger at Clark-Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia.

During Bell’s student years at ASU, he served as a graduate teaching assistant and taught courses in Applied Low-Brass during 1995 and 1996.

Bell also worked at the secondary school level where he served as Choral Music Director in the Selma (AL) Middle School system. In the primary grades, Bell taught courses between 1991 and 1994 to seventh and eighth graders, working with them on general music, mixed voice chorus and choir classes.

Bell also worked with the Command Band of the Air Force Reserves at Robins AFB at Warner-Robins, Georgia, where he performed multiple tasks, including his responsibilities as assistant music librarian and lighting technician. Nevertheless, Bell also played the trombone, keyboard, jazz piano, and arranged music for the Command Band of the Air Force Reserves.