Donald L. Bailey Endowed Scholarship

Dr. Donald Bailey, Professor Emeritus of Choral Music at Baylor University, served as the Director of Choral Activities and Mary Gibbs Jones Professor of Music at Baylor from 1993 to 2008.  Prior to his appointment at Baylor, he held similar positions at Arizona State University, Texas Tech University, Houghton College (NY), and Eastern New Mexico University.  He received his Bachelor of Music Education summa cum laude and Master of Arts in Vocal Performance degrees from Eastern New Mexico University and his Doctor of Arts in Conducting from the University of Northern Colorado.

In 2008, he was awarded the Texas Choirmaster Award, the highest honor given by the Texas Choral Directors Association.  This award is given to a person “who has exhibited unparalleled leadership in the choral field and is a consummate conductor and musician.”  In 2000, the University of Northern Colorado named Dr. Bailey an
“Outstanding Alumnus” for his contributions to music.  He was twice named the “Outstanding Faculty Member” at Houghton College.

At Baylor University, he conducted the A Cappella Choir, Chamber Singers, and taught choral conducting.  His conducting students won first place in both the graduate and undergraduate divisions of the American Choral Directors Association national conducting competition.  Under his leadership, the Baylor A Cappella Choir sang for the prestigious National Convention of the American Choral Directors Association, the highest honor in choral music in the United States.  The A Cappella Choir also sang five times for the Texas Music Educators Association, twice for the Texoma Regional Convention of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, and twice for the College Band Directors Association.  Dr. Bailey holds the distinction of having choirs from three different universities selected for performance at the national ACDA convention.  Other appearances include the New York State School Music Association, the Arizona Music Educators Association, and the Music Educators National Conference.

Particularly active as a guest conductor and clinician, he frequently appeared as an All State Clinician having conducted All State Choirs in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Tennessee, and Texas.  He has appeared as a guest conductor at both Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center and was the music director and conductor of Schola Cantorum of Texas from 2002-2007.  A past president of the Texas Choral Directors Association, he was also active in the Texas Music Educators Association, the American Choral Directors Association, and the Music Educators National Conference.  He holds membership in Pi Kappa Lambda national music honor society.

Dr. Bailey continues his activity as a composer for Alliance Music Publications, and Gentry Publications.