Robert S. Thurston is the former Chief Arranger for the United States Air Force Band in Washington DC—a position he earned in large part due to his formative experiences with bands at Florida State University. A native of Tallahassee, Thurston graduated from Godby High School and Tallahassee Community College before earning his Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1986 from Florida State. At FSU, he played in the Wind Orchestra, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble and Marching Chiefs. He also studied arranging and composition with the School of Music’s venerable Arranger-in-Residence, Charles Carter.
As the Marching Chiefs’ percussion section leader for three years, Thurston led the “Big 8” drumline through a transitional period during which the section modernized its instrumentation in keeping with the evolution of marching percussion, while preserving a Latin-influenced musical identity that has remained unique among college lines since the early 1970s. Big 8 was named the Marching Chiefs’ Outstanding Section in 1980 under Thurston’s leadership, and Thurston was named Outstanding Senior Bandsman in 1981.
After graduating from Florida State, Thurston taught band for four years at Oak Ridge High School in Orlando, Florida. He returned to the School of Music as a graduate assistant in 1991, working with undergraduate chamber groups, the Concert Band, the Symphonic Band and the Marching Chiefs. His master’s thesis was a biography of his composition and arranging teacher: “The Life and Music of Charles Carter.”
Following a one-year teaching stint in Baltimore, Ohio, Thurston successfully auditioned in 1993 as an arranger-composer for the United States Air Force’s premier musical organization, the U.S. Air Force Band in Washington DC. Over his 20-year career, he wrote for the Air Force Concert Band, the Singing Sergeants chorus, the Air Force Strings, the Symphony Orchestra, the Airmen of Note jazz ensemble, the Ceremonial Brass, numerous chamber groups, and even a rock band. In 2007 he was named the Air Force Band’s chief arranger, managing a four-member staff and consulting with the commander-conductor on matters of musical programming for major performances.
Thurston’s original works for the Air Force Band include “Time Travels,” which premiered at the 2012 Midwest Clinic International Band, Orchestra and Music Conference in Chicago. His “flash mob” Christmas medley delighted hundreds of unsuspecting visitors at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC in 2013, and was subsequently seen by more than 25 million via YouTube and television.
Thurston has a number of published wind-band works to his credit. His pieces are on many state performance-assessment repertoire lists at all levels, including his first published composition, “Festive Dances,” an homage to Charlie Carter. He is also widely sought as an arranger for college and high-school marching bands throughout the country, and has contributed to the Marching Chiefs’ repertoire regularly since 1981.
Thurston retired from the Air Force in 2014 at the rank of Senior Master Sergeant. He lives in Woodbridge, Virginia, with his wife, Linda. They have two sons and a daughter, and three grandchildren.