Richard L. Floyd Musical Director, Austin Symphonic Band

In 1983 Richard Floyd was appointed State Director of Music Activities for the University Interscholastic League at the University of Texas at Austin, where he coordinates all facets of secondary school music competition for some 3500 performing organizations throughout the state. In addition he routinely serves as an adjunct member of the faculty in the university Department of Music on an as-needed basis. His other professional endeavors include the post of Musical Director and Conductor of the Austin Symphonic Band, which he has held since 1986.

Prior to his appointment at the University of Texas, Mr. Floyd served on the faculty at the University of South Florida as Professor of Conducting and at Baylor University in Texas where he held the position of Director of Bands for nine years. His musical achievements include appearances at numerous state and regional music conferences, a distinguished performance for the 1977 College Band Directors National Association, the 1981 Music Educators National Conference, the 1989 and 1997 Grand Finale concerts for the Mid-West International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago and the opening concert for the 1993 American Bandmasters Association Convention in New Orleans. Performances by his various ensembles have been heard on radio broadcasts in both the United States and Europe. Before joining the faculty at Baylor he taught junior high school and high school band in the Richardson, Texas public schools and served as music coordinator for that district's nationally acclaimed music program.

Mr. Floyd has toured extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe as a clinician, adjudicator and conductor including appearances in 37 states and 8 foreign countries. His areas of primary interest include conducting, wind band repertoire and the entrenchment of performance based music programs within the academic framework of the secondary school curriculum. His work has earned the compliments of numerous composers including Ron Nelson, Ernst Krenek, Karel Husa and Roger Nixon and he is also co-author of Best Music For Beginning Band, published by Manhattan Beach Music.

Throughout Mr. Floyd's professional career he has held positions of leadership on many state and national committees for music education and wind music performance. Presently he is a member of the John Philip Sousa Foundation Board of Directors, the American Bandmasters Association Composition Competition Selection Committee, and is an ex-officio member of the Texas Music Educators' Association Executive Board. He is a past chairman of the National Federation Music Committee and has served as Secretary of the College Band Directors National Association since 1979.

In 2002 he was named recipient of the American School Band Directors Association A A Harding Award for significant and lasting contributions to school bands in North America. He was named "2006 Texas Bandmaster of the Year" by the Texas Bandmasters Association.

Have a question or comment? Send an e-mail to Music Director Richard Floyd.