Clinician: RICHARD DUNSCOMB

J. RICHARD DUNSCOMB is the chairperson of the Music Department at Columbia College Chicago, the nation’s premier visual, performing, media and communication arts college, located in Chicago, Illinois. He is recognized nationally and internationally as one of the leading authorities in the field of jazz music and music education. Active as a clinician, author, guest conductor, adjudicator, and consultant, Dunscomb created, designed and chaired the jazz program at Florida International University where he was Professor of Music and Director of the Jazz Performance program.

Throughout his career, Dunscomb has been recognized with many honors and awards. He was elected to the International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE) Hall of Fame in 1992, and was awarded the prestigious Medal of Honor by The Midwest Clinic, an international band and orchestra clinic, in 1999. The following year he was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Elkhart (IN) Jazz Festival. He has received numerous awards for his outstanding teaching, conducting and service from his university and the state of Florida.

Currently, Dunscomb is the international coordinator for the 10,000-member International Association for Jazz Education for which he has served as its president. In addition, he is on the board of directors for the Midwest Clinic, an annual event with more than 12,000 worldwide participants. In the past two years through his work with IAJE, Warner Bros. Publications and other agencies, he has presented more than 200 workshops to assist jazz education programs including jazz clinics and guest conducting throughout the US as well as Australia, Europe, Canada, Sweden, Japan, and South America.

His most recent publications include co-authoring with Dr. Willie L. Hill, Jr. Jazz Pedagogy: The Jazz Educator’s Handbook and Resource Guide; a publication designed to provide a foundation and structure to plan and implement a successful jazz program for the novice as well as the experienced jazz educator. He is currently serving as the lead jazz author for Warner Bros. Publications Jazz Expressions™, a new jazz ensemble method and part of an inclusive K-12 music curriculum. He regularly reviews new music, writes articles, and oversees the international column for the Jazz Education Journal, the official magazine of IAJE.

Dunscomb served as the North America coordinator for the Montreux International Jazz Festival for 18 years. Throughout his career Richard Dunscomb has developed award-winning jazz groups at all levels. His musical degrees are from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, USA.