Albert Richard "Cas" Casavant Sr., 85, died Sunday, March 24, 2002, at his home in Falling Water.
Son of the late Albert and Ida Casavant of Warren, Ohio, and a longtime Chattanooga resident, Mr. Casavant was a member of First Baptist Church of Chattanooga and the Seekers Sunday School Class. He graduated from the Tennessee Military Institute of Sweetwater, Tenn., in 1938. At TMI he was student bandleader and state record holder for the mile run. He graduated from the University of Chattanooga in 1947 with bachelor of science and bachelor of arts degrees, cum laude. He attended Boston University and received a masters of music education degree from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. He was honored in 1988 with an honorary doctorate of music degree from VanderCook.
Dr. Casavant's first experience as a bandleader was as a cadet at TMI. After leaving TMI, he started the band at McMinn County High School and was bandleader for three and a half years. He moved to Chattanooga in 1943 and played trumpet professionally in several groups including the Chattanooga Symphony and Chattanooga Opera. He joined the Chattanooga City Schools in 1944 ,teaching junior high instrumental music and assisting at Chattanooga High School under the leadership of Col. Ira Summers.
He took over the Chattanooga High School band program in 1950 and under his tutelage, the Chattanooga High School Band never lost in competition. He changed the concept, style and technique of the marching band virtually overnight. He introduced a concept of marching commonly known as precision drill, developed the materials to implement the new technique, and personally saw to its popularity and standardization across the country.
Between 1959 and 1979, Dr. Casavant authored over 40 theoretical texts on drill techniques and produced over 90 drill routines with music arrangements. He also taught marching techniques to band directors at VanderCook for over 25 years and worked with high school students in every area of the country through the Casavant Cavalcade summer workshops. He taught marching units from all over the world, presenting clinics in eight countries in the year 1980 alone.
Dr. Casavant held five U.S. patents for his inventions for marching accessories. He founded ARC Products in 1957 to produce the accessories, music, books, drills and materials he invented. His pre-eminence in the field of marching bands resulted in his 1980 induction into the Tennessee Bandmasters Hall of Fame and selection as Tennessee 1980 Bandmaster of the Year. Dr. Casavant was the subject of Jonathan Jones' 1998 thesis titled "A.R. Casavant: Precision Drill and Other Contributions to Marching Bands in America."
Survivors include his wife, Nancye Ewing Casavant; sons and daughters-in-law, Richard and Wendy Casavant and Edward and Phyllis Casavant, all of Signal Mountain, and Brett and Angela Casavant of Athens, Tenn.; son, Charles Casavant, Indiana, Pa.; daughter and son-in-law, Carol Casavant and Robert Behal of Ames, Iowa; and nine grandchildren: Jay, Mary Ann, John and David Casavant of Signal Mountain, and Chaim, Abner, Havilah, Yada and Elana Casavant of Athens.
Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Tuesday at First Baptist Church Golden Gateway with Dr. Gary Carver officiating.
Burial will be in Chattanooga Memorial Park.
Visitation will be on Monday from 4-8 p.m. at Lane Funeral Home, Coulter Chapel, Ashland Terrace and also from 2 p.m. until service time on Tuesday at First Baptist Church.
The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to First Baptist Church Golden Gateway, or to Adventa Hospice, 5959 Shallowford Road, Suite 505, Chattanooga, TN 37421.
Arrangements by Lane Funeral Home, Coulter Chapel.