Rodney Dorsey

Rodney Dorsey is Professor of Music at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music; a position he has held since the fall of 2018. Dorsey is the conductor of the internationally recognized Indiana Wind Ensemble and guides all aspects of the graduate wind conducting program. Past positions have included Director of Bands at the University of Oregon, Associate Director of Bands at the University of Michigan, Associate Professor of Music at DePaul University, and Director of Athletic Bands at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music. Dorsey also taught public school for eight years in Florida and Georgia.

Ensembles under Dorsey’s direction have performed at state and national events including the College Band Directors National Conference North/Northwest Regional Conference and the Music for All National Festival. He is an active guest conductor having led intercollegiate, all-state, and regional honors bands around the country. International engagements include Hungary, Canada and Bulgaria.

An active advocate for the composition of new wind repertoire, Dorsey has been involved in a number of commissioning projects that include the following composers; Andrea Reinkemeyer, Steven Mackey, D. J. Sparr, Anthony Barfield, Stacy Garrop, Andrew Rindfleisch, and John Mackey.

Dorsey has also presented clinic sessions at national and state conferences that include; the College Band Directors National Association, National Association for Music Education, College Music Society, and the Midwest Clinic. He has also presented at numerous state music conferences around the country.

Dorsey holds a number of professional memberships that include the College Band Directors National Association, National Association for Music Education, Indiana Bandmasters Association, Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma (honorary), Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated.

His commitment to the music community has been demonstrated by his participation on boards of directors for the Midwest Clinic and Music for All. He is also an elected member of the prestigious American Bandmasters Association. His lifelong commitment to teaching saw him recognized as a Yamaha Master Educator.

A native of Gainesville, FL. Rodney Dorsey is a graduate of Florida State University and Northwestern University in Evanston. He studied conducting with Dr. James Croft, John Paynter and Mallory Thompson and clarinet with Fred Ormand and Frank Kowalsky.