James Copenhaver, emeritus band director of the Carolina Band, died Wednesday at age 71. He had retired in the summer of 2010, but continued to play a role at the university. He had his own office at the new Copenhaver Band Hall.
Copenhaver first became director of bands at USC in 1976, when USC was part of the ACC and before the Carolina Band was known as the Mighty Sound of the Southeast. He also worked as a professor of music on the USC School of Music faculty. His role while at USC was to administer the total band program, which included conducting the University Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band and teaching classes in wind instrument techniques.
According to his biography on the USC website, the band program has established a national reputation for excellence under his guidance. Copenhaver himself was inducted into the South Carolina Band Director’s “Hall of Fame.”
Former USC student Ken Corbett created a group on Facebook, James K. Copenhaver — A Celebration of Life, to encourage people “to share your ‘Cope’ stories and share the life of James K. Copenhaver.”
“[He] expected excellence from us in band and whatever came after,” Joyce Stoudemayer Shealy posted. “I am so grateful that we were able to share with him over these many years how much he and the band program he built meant to us all. He will never be forgotten.”
Cyndi McKeown Williams said that Copenhaver played “matchmaker” for her and her now-husband.
“So much of who I am can be attributed to him,” Williams said. “He took genuine interest in all of his students and wished them nothing but success and happiness.”
Before his death, Copenhaver was an active member in multiple professional organizations, including the American Bandmasters Association. He was the former president of the National Band Association and the Southern Division of the College Band Director National Association. Copenhaver was also the founder and co-conductor of the Palmetto Concert Band.
Copenhaver was also active as a band clinician, and he worked as a guest conductor, lecturer and adjudicator all over the country. Two years ago, Copenhaver gave a million-dollar endowment to create the James K. Copenhaver Alumni Band Scholarship Fund to generate yearly scholarships for band students.
A memorial service will be held Sunday, Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. at the Copenhaver Band Hall at USC. The family has suggested that individuals make donations to the James K. Copenhaver Alumni Band Scholarship Fund or the Palmetto Concert Band instead of sending flowers.