Dr. James L. Byo to be Inducted into the LMEA Hall of Fame

The LSU School of Music is proud to share that Dr. James L. Byo, Director of the School of Music and Carl Prince Matthies Memorial Professor of Music Education, will be inducted into the Louisiana Music Educators Association (LMEA) Hall of Fame during the LMEA Professional Development Conference and All-State Events on January 19, 2026 at 2:00pm, in New Orleans.

A legacy shaped by teaching, leadership, and Louisiana’s educators

Dr. Byo has served on the LSU faculty since 1988, building a career defined by steady excellence and an uncommon commitment to the people who make music education work. Over nearly four decades at LSU, he has helped strengthen teacher preparation, elevate research and pedagogy, and serve as a trusted leader through changing seasons of higher education and the music profession. 

As Director of the School of Music, Dr. Byo stands at the intersection of tradition and momentum. LSU’s School of Music is a place where artistry meets discipline, and where future educators learn the craft of building musical communities that last. His career has consistently reflected that same idea: the best work in music education is measured not only by what is achieved, but by who is empowered along the way.

"I am honored and humbled to be inducted into the LMEA Hall of Fame. Recognition of this type does not happen without the people, institutions, and systems that enable achievement. I deeply appreciate my family, teachers, students, and colleagues who have played such a big part in this one career journey."

Dr. James L. Byo

From the public school podium to LSU’s classroom

Before arriving in Baton Rouge, Dr. Byo served as a public school band and orchestra conductor in Wooster, Ohio, where his ensembles earned invitations to perform at conferences of the Ohio Music Educators Association. Those invitations are the kind of professional nod that only happens when musical standards and student growth are both unmistakable. His marching bands also performed halftime shows for the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills, offering a reminder that school music programs often represent their communities in very public, high-stakes spaces.

That foundation in public education never became a “before” chapter in his story. It stayed central to his identity. At LSU, Dr. Byo has taught courses across the music education curriculum, including instrumental techniques, methods, research, measurement and evaluation, and philosophy. He has remained actively engaged with student teaching and has expressed deep gratitude for the partnerships built with Louisiana educators across multiple parishes. Those collaborative relationships are one of the quiet engines behind successful teacher preparation, and they reflect a professional posture that values teamwork over spotlight.

A musician’s training, grounded in listening

Dr. Byo holds degrees in music education and oboe performance from Youngstown State University and earned his PhD in Music Education from Florida State University. His musical training includes studying oboe with respected teachers such as Loyal Mould, Eric Ohlsson, and John Mack (principal oboist of the Cleveland Orchestra). He also performed professionally on oboe and English horn for multiple seasons, experiences that shaped the performer’s ear that continues to inform his work as an educator and researcher. 

If you ask colleagues or former students what stands out about Dr. Byo, you will often hear words like “precision,” “clarity,” and “listening.” Those are musical values, of course, but they are also educational ones. Great teaching is not simply delivering knowledge; it is perceiving what students need, responding with intention, and building a pathway forward.

Conducting, mentoring, and a career that spans generations

Over the course of his career, Dr. Byo has served as a conductor and guest clinician with ensembles across many contexts, from school programs to community settings. He has been invited twice to guest conduct at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, an international gathering widely respected for its standards and influence. The long arc between those invitations speaks to what so many educators know instinctively: the most meaningful careers are the ones that remain useful, relevant, and generous over time.

In Baton Rouge, he also served for multiple seasons as conductor of the Louisiana Junior Youth Orchestra, helping young musicians develop confidence, ensemble habits, and the joy that comes from shared performance. Experiences like these reflect a throughline in Dr. Byo’s professional life. His work consistently meets students where they are and invites them to the next step, whether they are beginners, emerging educators, or seasoned professionals.

Scholarship “on both sides of the podium”

Dr. Byo’s research resides on both sides of the podium, exploring how conductors hear and communicate, as well as how performers develop core skills such as rhythm reading and tuning. He has presented research and lectured broadly across the United States and internationally. 

His scholarly leadership includes service as editor of Update: Applications of Research in Music Education and participation in research and editorial roles that help shape the national conversation in music teaching and learning. His work appears in major journals and texts, and it has served as a bridge between research and practice, helping educators better understand what works, why it works, and how to apply it in real rehearsal rooms with real students. 

He is also the author of two books: The Woodwinds: Performing, Understanding, and Teaching and The Habits of Musicianship: A Radical Approach to Beginning Band, co-authored with Bob Duke of The University of Texas at Austin. Notably, The Habits of Musicianship is distributed cost-free as a service to music education. That decision is a small detail with a big message: when something can help teachers teach better, it should be shared widely. 

Service to LMEA and to Louisiana’s music teachers

The LMEA Hall of Fame was instituted in 1982 to honor music educators who have made long-standing contributions to music education in Louisiana. 

Dr. Byo’s relationship with LMEA has been marked by consistent service and respect for the profession. Across the years, he has supported Louisiana’s music teachers through conference involvement, professional collaboration, and sustained investment in educator preparation. LMEA also lists Dr. Byo among its Hall of Fame recipients, placing him in the company of educators whose work has shaped the musical life of the state for decades. Louisiana Music Educators Association

Dr. Byo’s induction is more than a personal milestone. It is a celebration of the kind of career that strengthens an entire ecosystem. It honors the classroom teacher who shapes young musicians, the mentor who equips future educators, and the scholar who helps the field grow wiser with time.

LSU congratulates Dr. Byo on this well-deserved recognition and looks forward to celebrating his induction on January 19, 2026, during the LMEA Professional Development Conference and All-State Events in New Orleans.