former band director gary faust passes away

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p i c t u r e s o f t h e g a r y f a u s t m e m o r i a l

Maria Moreno In-Depth Editor

Gary Faust, former band director of Akins High School, has passed at the age of 55. Faust died on February 17, 2015 of heart failure.

“I saw him on the Satur-day before and I still have on my phone that said he loved me,” said Faust’s sister Terri Faust Jonson.” I just can’t believe 12 hours later he was on life support.”

Faust was a caring and accomplished man to those who knew him. For 11 years he worked as Akins’ band director and led his students to high ratings because of his high expectations for the band.

“When I first met him

he said that he wanted the Akins High School Band to be the best in the state, and I said, ‘Go for it,’ Dr. W. Charles Akins said. “And then we became so good, we went to state finals and won in a contest.”

He inspired many to do their best and to get into music.

“He taught me every-thing about music and it has been a really big part of my life ever since,” nephew Tome Johnson said.

Gary Faust was a drum major at Crockett High School and graduated from the University of Texas and a member of the Longhorn band. He began his teaching career as an assistant band director at Anderson High School.

“I miss arguing back and forth with him, he could cook too. He was amazing,” Terri Faust Johnson said. “I was an Aggie and he was a Longhorn and there was se-rious rivalry.”

Faust continued his education at Northwestern State University in Loui-siana. He was assistant di-rector at Georgetown High, and Mesquite High School in Dallas. Later he moved back to Austin and became the band director and Do-bie Middle School. Over the years he would lead the bands at Reagan and Travis high schools.

“I had a job that was bet-ter for me in the Dallas area, I knew that the band and Mr. Faust had a good reputation he and I enjoyed spending

some time together while I went through interviews,” band teacher Tate Fincher said “And then when I moved back to Austin he and I struck up a conversa-tion that lead me to come to Akins.”

He then returned to the University of Texas to get his doctorate. In 2002, Faust returned to teaching as the band director at Akins.

“I think Gary created a strong work ethic in the stu-dents here, one of the things that I appreciated was the culture of hard work that he put here in the Akins band,” Fincher said.

In 2006, out of the 30 marching bands who did well at the first level of UIL competition the Eagle’s band was one of the 10

that qualified for the State Marching Band Champion-ship finals.

Faust promised his stu-dents; the he would tattoo his leg if they qualified for the state. When they made it to state, the words “Big + Bold, Blue + Gold” were tattooed on his leg.

Faust told Dr. Akins that he wanted the best program in the city. However, Faust in a documentary film about the Akins band that many detractors believed that Akins could not be the best because of the neighbor-hoods the school draws its students from.

“When he said he wanted us to be the very best band, and then he went out to di-rect and guide our young students into that and be-

came the best. That was very inspirational,” Akins said.

A celebration of his life was held at the district Performing Arts Center on March 29. Many of his former students and fam-ily members attended. And the Akins Eagle’s band per-formed.

“I’m amazed, I really wish that Gary could have seen this. Being a teacher is really worth it,” Faust John-son said.

Faust left a legacy at Akins, and his memory will remain forever with his stu-dents and beloved ones..

“He succeeded in his goal to touch peoples lives, I know that was important to him and I believe that he succeeded,” Fincher said. ■

Akins alum Jonathan Rodriguez speaks about his memories of Gary Faust at the Memorial held at the performing arts center on March 29.

Photo Credit: Gabriel Robles

AKINS BAND STUDENTS AND ALUMNI PERFORM A SONG IN HONOR OF FAUST AT THE MEMORIAL CEREMONY.

PHOTO CREDIT: GABRIEL ROBLES

Principal trumpet player with the metropolitan opera Billy Hunter performs a musical piece at the memorial. hunter is a former faust student.

Photo Credit: Gabriel Robles

IN-DEPTH Monday t April 13, 2015

The Eagle’s Eye page 5

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Gary Faust conducts the Akins band at burger stadium in 2008. Source: Eagle’s Eye Archives

Gary Faust and band students prepare to compete at the Texas State Marching Band Contest in 2008.Photo Credit: Joshua Clasberry

Gary Faust recognizes band students, Akins Diamonds and teachers for their hard work after the last football game in 2013 .

Photo Credit: Christian Martinez

“Mr. Faust had a competition and it was that he’d take the first four people to pass off their music to Joe’s Crab Shack. I had won and I remember when we went he told me and my friend Javier about the meaning of Elton John’s song “Rocket Man” while we ate crab legs.” — Jonathan Marquez

“The last time I saw Mr. Faust was when I walked into Walgreens and he shouted my name and gave me the biggest hug!” — Leslie Gonzalez

“One of my fondest memories of Mr. Faust is when I ran into him at Target when he retired. We were reminesing back to freshman and sophomore year and how he recently had surgery, having a wire in his chest.” — John Fahlund

“The last time I saw Mr. Faust, I was working a UT football game and he went OF COURSE. He was weak looking and he hugged us. He told me ”I would have chose you for Drum Major, too.” I was honored. He cried and told us he missed us.” — Ariana Rodriguez

source: still image from marching to nowhere documentary