Ralph Ford
Encyclopedia
Ralph Ford is Director of Bands and Professor of Music at Troy University
. A native of Panama City, Florida
, he has served on the university faculty in numerous areas of expertise since 1986, working mainly as the assistant director, arranger and theory instructor. Since 2001, Professor Ford has been the conductor of the Troy University Symphony Band and Chamber Winds, as well as the director of the nationally renowned Sound of the South Marching Band
. His compositions and arrangements for band have been commissioned and performed by middle school
, high school
, collegiate, and professional bands worldwide. He currently serves as an exclusive composer-arranger for the Belwin division of Alfred Publications, a position he has enjoyed for over a decade. Currently, he has over 180 publications for concert band
, orchestra
, jazz ensemble, and marching band available worldwide. Professor Ford has served extensively in the United States and Canada as a composer, arranger, conductor, clinician, consultant, and adjudicator.
Additionally, he works extensively in the music industry where he has composed, recorded, and produced music, jingles, and 3D graphic designs for radio, television, and video productions.
Most recently, he was the music team supervisor for composer Stephen Melillo on the soundtrack recording for the animated motion picture, “Dwegons.” He has won numerous “Addies,” as well as recognition and awards from various agencies and international associations for his creative work in the media field. His active professional memberships include the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity, Music Educators National Conference
, the National Band Association, the Troy Rotary Club, Phi Mu Alpha, Kappa Kappa Psi
, Tau Beta Sigma
, Sigma Alpha Iota
and Delta Chi
, among others. Professor Ford has received the Outstanding Artist Award from the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
. He has co-authored published articles discussing the incorporation of electronic instruments into the modern wind ensemble and was recently a featured composer in the series Teaching Music through Performance in Band, Vol. 7. In March 2009, he was elected to membership in the prestigious American Bandmasters Association
and is currently the only active Alabama director in this organization.
Ralph Ford retired from his post as Director of Bands at troy effective June 1, 2011. Mr. Ford became Director of Bands in February 2001.
Troy University
Troy University is a public university that is located in Troy, Alabama, United States. It was originally founded in 1887 as Troy Normal School. Its main campus enrollment is 7,194 students. The total enrollment of all Troy University campuses is 29,689...
. A native of Panama City, Florida
Panama City, Florida
-Personal income:The median income for a household in the city was $31,572, and the median income for a family was $40,890. Males had a median income of $30,401 versus $21,431 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,830...
, he has served on the university faculty in numerous areas of expertise since 1986, working mainly as the assistant director, arranger and theory instructor. Since 2001, Professor Ford has been the conductor of the Troy University Symphony Band and Chamber Winds, as well as the director of the nationally renowned Sound of the South Marching Band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
. His compositions and arrangements for band have been commissioned and performed by middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
, high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, collegiate, and professional bands worldwide. He currently serves as an exclusive composer-arranger for the Belwin division of Alfred Publications, a position he has enjoyed for over a decade. Currently, he has over 180 publications for concert band
Concert band
A concert band, also called wind band, symphonic band, symphonic winds, wind orchestra, wind symphony, wind ensemble, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of several members of the woodwind instrument family, brass instrument family, and percussion instrument family.A...
, orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, jazz ensemble, and marching band available worldwide. Professor Ford has served extensively in the United States and Canada as a composer, arranger, conductor, clinician, consultant, and adjudicator.
Additionally, he works extensively in the music industry where he has composed, recorded, and produced music, jingles, and 3D graphic designs for radio, television, and video productions.
Most recently, he was the music team supervisor for composer Stephen Melillo on the soundtrack recording for the animated motion picture, “Dwegons.” He has won numerous “Addies,” as well as recognition and awards from various agencies and international associations for his creative work in the media field. His active professional memberships include the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity, Music Educators National Conference
MENC: The National Association for Music Education
MENC: The National Association for Music Education is an organization of American music educators dedicated to advancing and preserving music education and as part of the core curriculum of schools in the United States...
, the National Band Association, the Troy Rotary Club, Phi Mu Alpha, Kappa Kappa Psi
Kappa Kappa Psi
Kappa Kappa Psi is a fraternity for college and university band members. It was founded on November 27, 1919 at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College in Stillwater, Oklahoma. William Scroggs, now regarded as the "Founder," together with "Mr. Kappa Kappa Psi" A...
, Tau Beta Sigma
Tau Beta Sigma
Tau Beta Sigma is a co-educational national honorary band sorority dedicated to serving college and university bands. The Sorority, headquartered at the historic Stillwater Station in Stillwater, Oklahoma, numbers over 3,500 active members in 145 active chapters, and over 40,000 alumni...
, Sigma Alpha Iota
Sigma Alpha Iota
Sigma Alpha Iota , International Music Fraternity for Women. Formed to "uphold the highest standards of music" and "to further the development of music in America and throughout the world", it continues to provide musical and educational resources to its members and the general public...
and Delta Chi
Delta Chi
Delta Chi or D-Chi is an international Greek letter college social fraternity formed on October 13, 1890,at Cornell University, initially as a professional fraternity for law students. On April 29, 1922, Delta Chi became a general membership social fraternity, eliminating the requirement for men...
, among others. Professor Ford has received the Outstanding Artist Award from the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
Phi Kappa Phi
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is an honor society established 1897 to recognize and encourage superior scholarship without restriction as to area of study and to promote the "unity and democracy of education"...
. He has co-authored published articles discussing the incorporation of electronic instruments into the modern wind ensemble and was recently a featured composer in the series Teaching Music through Performance in Band, Vol. 7. In March 2009, he was elected to membership in the prestigious American Bandmasters Association
American Bandmasters Association
The American Bandmasters Association was formed in 1929 by Edwin Franko Goldman to promote concert band music. Goldman sought to raise esteem for concert bands among musicians and audiences...
and is currently the only active Alabama director in this organization.
Ralph Ford retired from his post as Director of Bands at troy effective June 1, 2011. Mr. Ford became Director of Bands in February 2001.