Kevin Sedatole is the Director of Bands at MSU, but his credits don’t end there. Sedatole is a Professor of Music, Chair of the Conducting Area in the College of Music and administrator of the entire band program at MSU including: Wind Symphony, Symphony Band, Concert Band, Chamber Winds, Campus Bands, Spartan Marching Band and Spartan Brass.

This is his 18th year at MSU and 40th year being a conductor. Sedatole discusses his career path, as well as how he strives to be a compelling conductor and shape Spartan music.

His pathway to music

“When I was growing up, they actually showed professional orchestra concerts on TV on the PBS station,” Sedatole said. “So I would get to see Leonard Bernstein conducting… or whoever the famous conductor was when I was in school. Watching these (programs), I realized this is something I want to do; it’s very creative.”

Sedatole's passion for conducting and being part of a band also stemmed from his father. His dad was a high school band conductor for years and mentored Sedatole, showing him the ropes and always keeping him “on his heels.”

Sedatole grew up in Texas; even if you couldn't recognize his accent when talking to him, he would tell you how much he loves the state that launched his career.

He was a drum major in his high school’s band, received a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education and then taught at a public school for a few years, which led him to his graduate work. After graduate school, Sedatole was awarded his first college teaching position.

But in the time between his middle school band job and graduate school, Sedatole realized he didn’t want to be in charge of just one instrument, such as the trumpet, which he played. That desire, to Sedatole, was the impetus for becoming a conductor.

“I wanted to connect with everyone,” Sedatole said. “And that’s what a conductor does.”

Inspirations and mentors throughout his life

Growing up in a household immersed in music inspired Sedatole to “follow” in his father's footsteps and forge his own path. 

Sedatole's father was a "huge inspiration" with "his love for what he did."

“My dad had a lot of success early on in his career but he stopped after teaching for like 12 to 13 years,” Sedatole said. "(He loved) being around great students and wanting to do music at a really high level. That’s probably what was the most inspiring thing to me.”

Sedatole said his father “tends to live vicariously through what I do” and if able to, he still “comes to” performances.

He also had other mentors, especially when he arrived at he University of Texas, one of the biggest schools in his home state. 

Sedatole said his “first college conductor was, and still is” a major mentor for him, as well as the “gentleman that (he) did all of” his graduate work with at the University of Texas, who is “probably the strongest mentor” in his life.  

And throughout his 40 years in the industry, Sedatole has looked past the MSU and University of Michigan rivalry to become friends with a conductor at U of M.

“The Director of Bands at the University of Michigan whom I worked for, for about three years, is a huge mentor,” Sedatole said. “He is kind of like the godfather of band conducting.”

Performances, music and work with the other conductors

Picking music for the bands to play is a difficult process; millions of possible scores, themes and the bands' preferences have to be considered. But luckily, Sedatole is not alone. 

Sedatole is in constant correspondence with MSU Associate Director of Bands David Thornton and Assistant Director of Bands Arris Golden. Although Sedatole has more experience than his two colleagues, the trio works together to carefully pick what music the bands will play and guide their work.

“I’ve done a lot of the music that they are getting ready to do for the first time, and so I can give some guidance about, ‘this fits there,’ ‘I wouldn’t do that there,’ 'this is better going here,’ and more,” Sedatole said. “For every piece you pick, there are at least 1,000 other pieces that you could have picked instead.”

Though Sedatole has been the conductor for hundreds of performances, some moments have stood out to him in particular over the last 18 years at MSU, including the 2014 Rose Bowl performance and "any combined show" with U of M. But Sedatole’s favorite was conducting one performance in New York. 

“Probably the most impactful (performance) I conducted was when we played in Carnegie Hall in New York,” Sedatole said. “We did some big pieces, it was packed and it was a very important concert.”

Sedatole’s effect on students

All of Sedatole’s students have gotten a job. Some go to major companies and symphony orchestras while others stay local, but Sedatole said his students' success is a testament to the passion and respect that music generates.

“There are some (students) that are now really bright stars, and they’re at major places and they’re doing great work,” Sedatole said. “And that’s kind of your legacy as a teacher, to see that your students are doing really well.”

Viewpoint on his career

Although Sedatole doesn’t really see himself retiring anytime soon, he appreciates the time he has had at MSU and other universities. From growing up admiring his father to conducting in front of thousands of people, the journey has come full circle, he said.

After taking a beat — or a quarter-note, as Sedatole says — he reflected on the significance of his career.

“Even the not good parts, which there aren’t very many, I would never trade,” Sedatole said. “It’s just been a really incredible journey when you get to stand in front of students. I’ve been really fortunate to be at some fantastic places so that the performance level of students is really high.”