(November 9, 1942 – October 17, 2026)
We reflect on Bill’s life upon his death on Oct. 17, 2026. We will miss you more than you can know, Bill, and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the gift of music you’ve given us and the entire North Texas community.
The McKinney Community Band family is mourning the loss of our beloved founder, original conductor, and Director Emeritus, Bill Sleeper, who passed away on October 17, 2026, at age 83.
For more than 20 years, the band Bill founded has brought musicians and audiences together through the joy of music. Even after passing the baton to Jeremy Kondrat, Bill and his wife, Mica, remained enthusiastic supporters and treasured members of our concert audience.
Just one year ago, we were honored to have Bill return to the podium to conduct the National Anthem as we opened our 20th season. It was a moment that perfectly reflected the enduring legacy he leaves behind.
We love you, Bill. Thank you for the gift you gave to our band, our musicians, and the McKinney community. You will be greatly missed. 💙🎶
About Bill Sleeper
Director Emeritus Bill Sleeper, a music enthusiast, listener, performer, and leader, officially retired as the McKinney Community Band’s founding music director in January 2015. The band presented him with a cake, a plaque and a photo collage celebrating his 8-1/2 years on the podium and announced his new title of Director Emeritus. He then joined the percussion section while staying active with other band duties, including some announcing at concerts and taking the podium now and then).
A dedicated promoter of amateur music, Bill co-founded the McKinney Community Band with percussionist Ed Schwarz in 2006. Bill also led the Lovers Lane Jazz Band, a mission of the Lovers Lane United Methodist Church in Dallas.
Bill first took up drums in grade school and then, after college, found himself in an Army band stationed comfortably adjacent to a beach in Los Angeles County. In the early 1970s, he joined the Town North Concert Band in Dallas, where he met Ed, and they became fast friends. He also played in Dixieland bands, Civil War bands, jazz and dance bands, and other amateur groups in the area.
He resumed his formal education in music after the McKinney Community Band launched, studying conducting with Jack Delaney, SMU’s renowned music director of the Meadows Wind Ensemble. He subsequently enrolled in musicianship, theory, and composition classes as a “directed studies” student along with the degree-seeking musicians at the Meadows School at SMU.
Bill retired from the commercial insurance brokerage business. During his career, he was involved as a leader in numerous trade and professional organizations and served on the board of the Dallas Wind Symphony. Bill’s expressive enthusiasm on stage was a highlight of the band’s performances; the audiences and performers alike who always enjoyed his personable approach during the McKinney Community Band’s popular concerts.