Louisiana Association for Jazz Education
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Dr. Joseph G. Hebert, Jr.
Inducted 2007
Joseph Hebert graduated form Loyola University with a Bachelor of Music Education degree. He went
on to earn his Master of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music, and later earned his Ph.D.
Degree from the University of Southern Mississippi. Dr. Hebert has performed with the New York
Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein, the American Symphony Orchestra under Leopold Stowkowski,
and periodically performs with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. In the commercial style, Dr.
Hebert has performed with Jack Jones, Ray Charles, Rita Moreno, Michel LeGrande and Mel Torme, to
mention a few. For 24 years he has been the conductor of the New Orleans Saints Band for all home
games. Dr. Hebert has been a guest conductor with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (formerly the
New Orleans Symphony), and is currently the Music Director and Conductor of the Crescent City Wind
Symphony in New Orleans. In 1992, Dr. Hebert was selected by the Louisiana Unit of the International
Association of Jazz Educators as the recipient of the year's Lifetime Achievement Award. He has also
been voted into the Louisiana Music Educators Association's "Hall of Fame".
Before taking a position at Loyola University, Dr. Hebert's high school jazz bands competed in national
jazz festivals. Most notable was the "Tri State Music Festival" in Enid, Ok. His St. Aloysius Jazz Band
won "outstanding" band of the festival and was one of very few bands (in the festival's history) to play
an encore at the final concert. Many local and national jazz performers and educators started their
careers in Dr. Hebert's high school jazz ensembles. In 1973 Loyola University established a four year
jazz studies degree with Dr. Hebert as Chairman. He continued as the director of the Loyola Jazz Band
until 1985.
Dr. Hebert is currently Professor of Music Education, Coordinator of Wind and Percussion activities,
and Director of Bands at Loyola University in New Orleans. Over the 42 years of his tenure, his jazz
bands, concert bands, and wind ensembles have performed at festivals and conventions from coast to
coast. These ensembles have also toured throughout Mexico, Europe, and continue to tour the United
States. For eight years he has hosted the John Philip Sousa Foundation National High School Honors
Band. Dr. Hebert has adjudicated at festivals from Canada to Mexico and from the East Coast to the
West Coast. He is a member of the Prestigious American Bandmaster's Association (ABA) and the Board
of Directors of the John Philip Sousa Foundation, among many other organizations.