Larry Daehn, New Glarus, was honored as a 2017 Distinguished and Outstanding Alumni Award recipient on Friday, October 13, 2017, at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Awards and Recognition Ceremony. The ceremony is part of the university's annual Homecoming celebration weekend. The awards acknowledge individuals who have demonstrated career success. Recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award are John Boldt, Larry Daehn, Ron Deiter and Arnie Miehe. Recipients of the Outstanding Alumni Award are Ann Moyer, Artanya Wesley and Amanda Zopp.

Larry Daehn spent 35 years teaching vocal and instrumental music in various high schools, including 27 years at New Glarus High School, after receiving a graduate degree from UW-Platteville in 1975. Under his direction, the New Glarus High School band won six national trophies, four Wisconsin Governor's Commendations and was chosen to perform at the Wisconsin State Music Conference in 1996.

More than 100 of Daehn's compositions and arrangements appear on many contest lists in the United States and internationally. In addition, he was commissioned to write The West Point Bicentennial March for the 200th anniversary of the West Point Military Academy, which was premiered at Carnegie Hall. Daehn was named Outstanding Bandmaster by the Phi Beta Mu Honorary Society in 1988, and became president of that organization in 1990. He has lectured and guest-conducted in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, New York, Oregon and California.

Daehn is a strong supporter of many UW-Platteville funds and scholarships, including the Music Development Fund, the Music Scholarship Fund, the Community Scholarship Program and the annual Swinging for Scholarships golf outing.

"I'll always be proud of my graduate degree from UW-Platteville; an outstanding staff of experts in music performance and in educational philosophy," Daehn said. "I appreciate all the kindness, help and advice I received from these fine people over the years. The university was always just a phone call away for lots of musicians, teachers and counselors."