After McCreary resigned, James Melichar became the conductor of the Cedar Falls Band from 1929 to 1976. Although he never earned a formal degree, he had considerable musical training. He was from Czechoslovakia and did not become a United States citizen until 1917, at the age of twenty. Melichar also taught at Cedar Falls High School for 22 years, after which he taught at Dike High School for 14 years.

    It was under Melichar's leadership that the Cedar Falls Band won the Chicagoland Music Festivals in 1930, 1931, 1935, and 1953. The bands in this contest were selected by newspapers. The Cedar Falls Band was sponsored by the Waterloo Times Tribune and the costs of transportation were paid by the Cedar Falls Commercial Club. This was a big contest that usually had over 50 bands competing for first place. The competition was carried over WGN radio in Chicago and its affiliated stations. Because of the extensive radio coverage given the contest, winning brought both prestige and financial rewards to the band and the community it represented in the form of what has been estimated to have been more than a million dollars worth of publicity. Melichar also made some rather important innovations in the Cedar Falls Band. It was under his leadership that women were first allowed to join the band in 1930 when they needed a few extra instruments and vocalists for the Chicagoland Music Festival and Melichar used women to fill these spots.

    During Melichar's tenure as director, a beginners' band was established to help train younger children to play instruments. This was to go along with the Auxiliary Band (Junior Band) which had already been established to train older kids and young adults. Talented musicians could graduate from the beginners' band to the Auxiliary Band to the Cedar Falls Band.