CONDUCTOR - DRILL DESIGNER - EDUCATOR
Dontay L. Douglas is Associate Director of the Trojan Marching Band (TMB) at the University of Southern California where he is responsible for assisting the Director in guiding all aspects of the TMB. Additionally, he serves as Director of the Men’s Basketball Band.
Prior to joining the Trojan family, he was Assistant Director of Bands and Director of the Bengal Brass at Louisiana State University (LSU), His responsibilities included serving as the Assistant Director of the Sudler-winning, 325-member “Golden Band from Tigerland.”, Director of the Bengal Brass, guest conductor of all concert ensembles and instructor of undergraduate conducting. While at LSU Prof. Douglas produced an album with Four-time Grammy-nominated zydeco musician Sean Ardoin, which featured LSU’s Tiger Marching Band. The album “Full Circle” was nominated for a Grammy award for Best Regional Roots Music Album.
Mr. Douglas also served on the faculty at Henderson State University (HSU) in the capacity of Associate Director of Bands and Coordinator of Athletic Bands, where he directed the Marching Band and conducted the Symphony Band, as well as taught courses in music education and technology.
As an active conductor, drill writer, adjudicator and clinician, Mr. Douglas has presented at state and national music conferences, including the Florida Music Educators Association and College Band Directors National Association Athletic Band Conferences. He has been noted for his drill designs for high school and college band programs across the country, to include Florida A&M University, West Virginia University and Eastern Michigan University. Recently Prof. Douglas charted drill designs that could be found on Marvel's television series "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" (episode 2).
A native of Miami, Florida, Mr. Douglas earned a bachelor’s degree in music from Florida A&M University where he served as the University Band President, section leader of percussion and student staff member of the “Marching 100” and master’s degree in wind band conducting from Florida Atlantic University where he served as graduate assistant with the athletic and concert bands and studied with Dr. Kyle Prescott. His responsibilities included teaching and assisting in every facet of the FAU Band program to include conducting the FAU Wind Ensemble. Before teaching at the university level, he was a high school band director in the south Florida area to include Palm Beach Lakes Community High School and McArthur High School. His professional affiliations include the College Band Directors National Association, the National Association for Music Education, National Band Association, Kappa Kappa Psi and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity.
When he’s not musicing, Mr. Douglas enjoys traveling and hiking with his wife, composer Marie Douglas.
