Richard Clary is Professor of Music, Senior Band Conductor, and Director of Wind Ensemble Studies at the Florida State University in Tallahassee. His primary duties at FSU include serving as Music Director for the University Wind Orchestra and graduate FSU Chamber Winds, and the guidance of the graduate wind band conducting program.
Prior to his 2003 appointment to the FSU faculty, Mr. Clary served as Director of Bands and Associate Professor of Conducting at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. During the decade of his tenure, the University of Kentucky Wind Ensemble under his direction earned a national reputation for excellence, giving highly acclaimed performances on six occasions for prestigious musical events, including the 1997 and 2003 National Conferences of the College Band Directors National Association.
Prior to his appointment at UK, Mr. Clary served as a member of the music faculties of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, the University of Arizona in Tucson, and Marcos de Niza High School in Tempe, Arizona. Throughout his career, ensembles under his direction have received consistent and enthusiastic praise from composers, fellow conductors, and audiences for their high level of musical expression, clarity of texture, and authoritative command over a broad range of musical styles.
Mr. Clary holds Bachelor and Master of Music diplomas in Music Education from the Arizona State University School of Music, and is a Candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Instrumental Conducting at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he was a student of Peter Er^s and Tim Salzman.
An active clinician, adjudicator, and guest conductor, Mr. Clary has served in these capacities throughout the United States, in the District of Columbia, and in three of the Provinces of Canada. In addition to his various band-related activities, he has also enjoyed successful engagements as guest conductor with numerous professional ensembles including the Lexington Philharmonic (KY), the Renton Civic Theater (WA), and Wichita Falls (TX) Symphony Orchestras.
Mr. Clary holds active memberships in several professional organizations including the Music Educators National Conference, the Florida Music Educators Association, the Florida Bandmasters Association, the College Band Directors National Association, the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, Phi Beta Mu, and is proud to be an Honorary Member of the national band sorority, Tau Beta Sigma. He has also served as a state chairman for the National Band Association. In March 2000, he was honored by election into the prestigious American Bandmasters Association.