The American baritone, choral conductor and music educator, Robert Ward, studied at McAlester High School in McAlester, Oklahoma (1994-1998). He obtained his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater (1998-2002); his Master of Music Education degree in Choral Conducting from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas (2012-2013); and his DMA degree in Choral Conducting and Vocal Pedagogy from the University of North Texas in Denton (2014-2016).
As an educator, Robert Ward taught middle and high school choirs in North Texas, including Rowlett High School (2002-2004), and The Oakridge School in Arlington (August 2004-May 2012). He was Concert Choir Conductor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas (August 2015-May 2016), and since August 2016 serves as the Director of Choral Activities at Emporia State University, where he conducts the A Cappella Choir, Tallgrass Chamber Choir, and Emporia Chorale. He teaches courses in choral conducting, choral methods, and diction, sits on the music education committee, and chairs the graduate committee. He presented at the Texas Music Educators Association and the Southwest American Choral Directors Association conferences trying to bring the art of choral music and the art of classroom teaching into a singular focus.
Robert Ward maintains a full singing schedule as a baritone chorister and soloist with the Orpheus Chamber Singers, South Dakota Chorale (Director: Brian A. Schmidt), Taylor Festival Choir, Texas Choral Artists, The Choral Pickup, and Vox Humana. He also worked a part-time Tecnical Director at Oklahoma Arts Institute at Quartz Mountain (2012-2016). He curently lives in Emporia, Kansas. |