Wickiser, Duane (1933-2008) | University of Illinois Archives

Duane Wickiser was born November 22, 1933, in Mattoon, Ill. He married Lottie Mikulski in 1963. Duane was involved in music his entire life and was a professional musician who started his career playing with "big bands" at the age of 16. He passed away November 3, 2008 at the age of 74.

He was a veteran, serving in the U.S. Army (1957-1959) and was a member of the Fourth Army Band in San Antonio, Texas. He obtained his Bachelor of Art in Music from Eastern Illinois University in 1960 and his Master in Music (M.M.E.) in 1965 from Millikin University with a dissertation, “A Progressive Method on How to Improvise.” He first taughts at Georgetown Junior High School and then Dwight D. Eisenhower High School, before getting a position at Waubonsee Community College. During his time in collegiate music he led groups to winning the International Jazz Intercollegiate Competition in London, England in 1972 and the Notre Dame Jazz Internationale Competition in 1974. He spent the next 31 years in this field, until his retirement in 1992, from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia. While teaching and in his retirement Wickiser performed with his saxophone in Jazz ensembles and festivals.

Statesboro Herald Obituary, https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/statesboroherald/name/duane-wickiser-obituary?id=28819718

Duane Wickiser: Jazz Educator, https://duanewickiser.wordpress.com/jazz-educator/