WAMSB | Keith Bearden | International Judges Bureau Chairperson

Keith Bearden Mr. Keith Bearden, Professor Emeritus, retired from Texas Tech University in May 2003 after 23 years as director of the Goin’ Band from Raiderland and Associate Director of Bands. In addition, he conducted the University Symphonic Band, the Court Jesters Basketball Band, played trumpet in the Faculty Brass Quintet, taught classes in conducting/music education, and co-directed the Texas Tech summer music camps. Professor Bearden started his career as band director in Jayton, TX. After only one year, he was drafted into the military. He auditioned for the USAF Academy Band and had the honor of serving as principal trumpet in the Academy concert band and brass quintet. He was also a member of the Falconaires Jazz Ensemble. Following his completion of military service, he enjoyed six more successful years of public school teaching in Albany, and at Lubbock Monterey. His bands were consistent winners in concert, marching, jazz on both state and national levels. In 1980 he was appointed associate director of bands and director of the Goin’ Band from Raiderland at Texas Tech University. In 1979 he was honored by Phi Beta Mu as Texas’ Outstanding Young Bandmaster. He became a member of Phi Beta Mu’s Alpha (Texas) chapter in 1981. He later served Alpha as vice president and president. He is the newly elected president of Phi Beta Mu International. He has also served Phi Beta Mu International as a board member, outstanding bandmaster chair, and vice president. He is an active member and past president of Texas Music Adjudicators Association. He is a member of the Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Educators Association, Pi Kappa Lambda, Phi Mu Alpha, and a lifetime member of Kappa Kappa Psi. He has served as a board member of the John Philip Sousa Foundation, and is a member of the Sudler Shield selection committee. During his distinguished tenure at Texas Tech University, Professor Bearden was honored as Outstanding Faculty Member by Omicron Delta Kappa and Mortar Board, and in 1999 his Goin’ Band from Raiderland received the nation’s highest award for collegiate marching bands; the Sudler Trophy, presented by the John Philip Sousa Foundation. He was honored for 40 years of association as camper, college worker, instructor, and camp director of the Texas Tech summer band and orchestra camp. Other honors include Kappa Kappa Psi’s Distinguished Service to Music Medal, Texas Tech’s Department of Residence Life’s Professing Excellence Award, the Lubbock Independent School District’s Meritorious Service Award, the Texas Tech Committed of Champions Meritorious Service Award, The Goin’ Band Alumni Ken Porter Service Award, the Texas Tech Alumni Association’s Distinguished Service Award, and the Texas Tech School of Music’s Distinguished Alumni Award. He has also received the Texas Bandmasters Lifetime Meritorious Achievement Award. In 2013, he was inducted into the Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame. With a heart for helping develop the skills of young musicians, Professor Bearden remains active as a guest clinician/conductor for numerous Texas schools as well as honor groups across the United States. He is very active as an adjudicator in both concert and marching contests/festivals across the country. He serves as concert band adjudicator for Festival Disney in Orlando each spring. At the international level, he is a member of the board and a member of the adjudication jury for the World Association of Marching Show Bands. He has judged in Ireland, Malaysia, Canada, Brazil, Japan, Germany, Thailand and the Philippines. In 2015 he co-hosted a director’s tour to Japan for observation of band techniques and to attend the Japan Wind Ensemble Concert competition. He will serve on the adjudication panel for WAMSB in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in August 2016. Outside of music, Professor Bearden enjoys family, golf and restoring classic cars. His wife June is a middle school band director in the Frendship Independent School District. They are members of the Lakeridge United Methodist Church in Lubbock. They have 2 sons, four grandchildren living in Lubbock and Anchorage, Alaska.