He was born in Clearwater, Florida in 1953 and received a Bachelor of Music degree from Furman University in 1975, and went on to receive a Master of Music degree from University of Louisiana at Monroe, (formerly Northeast Louisiana University).
Furman University.
He is an alumnus of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the national men"s music fraternity. Bocook became a Sinfonian at Furman University, joining the Gamma Eta chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia in 1972. Mr. Bocook began his composing and arranging career in graduate school, and began to write for Jenson publications while serving as the band director at a small but well-known high school in Travelers Rest, South Carolina, leading them to become the South Carolina American Automobile Association state marching band champions in 1978.
He served as the Director of Bands at Furman University from 1982 until 1989, where he continued his rise to fame as an arranger.
His arrangements were featured at the 1984, 1988, 1996, and 2002 Olympic Games. He writes for a wide range of ensembles, from elementary bands to the United States Marine Band.
He was recently inducted in the American Bar Association (American Bandmasters Association), and in 2009, was inducted into the DCI (Drum Corps International) Hall of Fame. In addition to serving as Furman"s Director of Athletic Bands, Mr.
Bocook works as a staff composer/arranger for Hal Leonard.
He also composes music exclusively for a select group of high schools. Namely the Avon High School Marching Band of Avon, Indiana, three time Grand National Champions and 9 time ISSMA State Champions.
He is also the chief arranger for the ten-time DCI World Champion drum corps, the Cadets, and the eight-time DCA World Champion drum corps, Reading Buccaneers. Mr. Bocook is also a regular arranger for the Lassiter High School Marching Band of Marietta, Georgia (two-time BOA Grand National Champions), The James F. Byrnes High School Rebel Regiment of Duncan, South Carolina (10 time SCBDA State Champion, 3 time BOA Grand National Semi-Finalist, 5 time BOA Regional Class Champion, BOA Regional Champion, and Sudler Shield recipient), Wando High School Band of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (SCBDA 5A State Champions), Wakeland High School Band of Frisco, Texas (two-time BOA Class Champions and BOA Grand National Class Medalists) Lexington High School Band of Lexington, South Carolina (SCBDA 5A State Champions), Dartmouth High School Band of Dartmouth Master of Arts (five-time USSBA National Champions). Since 2008 he has arranged for the Fort Mill High School Band of Fort Mill, South Carolina ( 24 Time SCBDA 3A, 4A State Champions, BOA Regional Champions), and Lafayette High School of Lexington Kentucky (BOA Regional Champion, KMEA 5A State Champions, and BOA Grand National Finalists).
He is also a member of the (SCBDA) South Carolina Band Directors Association Hall of Fame.
