BY YVIE CRONINGER ’25

From New York to Georgia to Waverly, Dr. Lia Snead, director of bands at Wartburg, has traveled thousands of miles in pursuit of her passion.

Snead was a pre-med major when she started college, but eventually, her love for music turned into something more. She realized teaching music and being a band director was a tangible career and decided she would take the leap of faith to pursue her passion. She graduated with a degree in music education from Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Georgia.

But a bachelor’s degree wasn’t enough.

“I’ve always wanted to be Dr. Lia,” she said. And as of 2023, she is. Snead earned a Master of Music from Northern Illinois University in 2016 and a Doctor of Music Arts from the University of South Carolina this year.

A first-generation Jamaican American, Snead grew up in a home full of music, beginning with her grandmother who attended Juilliard. As a child, Snead recalls learning to read notes before learning to read words.   

In her new role, Snead’s greatest aspiration for the Wartburg College Bands is to develop the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band into two high-level performance ensembles that are both respected in the department and the national band community. She also hopes that her students will develop lifelong friendships with their bandmates, much as she did with hers.

When Snead is not conducting, she enjoys reading or listening to audiobooks as well as working toward her fitness goals. When given the chance she also loves to go for a swim.