Dr. William Green with Jaclyn and Sean Gallaher, wife and son of Brian Gallaher. Sean received the School of Music departmental 2015 Distinguished Alumnus award on behalf of his father, Brian.
Lee University’s School of Music named Brian Gallaher as the 2015 Distinguished Alumnus at a department breakfast during Lee’s homecoming.
“Brian exemplified the type of graduate that we want to produce at Lee,” said Dr. William Green, dean of the School of Music. “He was a musician that was fully engaged in making music and using that music to facilitate change in people’s lives. He was a person that saw his musical gifts as tools to do the work of God and a person that fully embraced the opportunities provided by God.”
Mr. Gallaher served as a teacher at Ocoee Middle School for 14 years. He passed away this summer following a tragic car accident on I-75.
During his time at Lee, Mr. Gallaher was a member of Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, and Campus Choir. He received his Master of Music degree in trumpet performance and his Bachelor of Music Education with an instrumental emphasis degree.
Following his undergraduate degree, Mr. Gallaher first served as a teacher of general music in the Polk County school system. Following this first assignment, he took a position at Ocoee Middle School as the assistant band director, but within a few years was promoted to the top band position. According to Dr. Green, Mr. Gallaher loved teaching middle school students and fully invested his life in that endeavor.
While at Ocoee Middle, he had a partnership with Alan Hunt, the director of bands at Walker Valley High School and was involved in their marching band program. He also worked as the orchestra director and youth orchestra director at Westmore Church of God.
Mr. Gallaher is survived by his wife, Jaclyn Watkins Gallaher, and their two children, Sean and Katelyn. The award was accepted by his son, Sean.