Richard Thurston

Richard E. Thurston retired as Assistant Director of Publications at Southern Music Company on September 1, 1993. Prior to his work with Southern, Thurston lived in Oklahoma City, where he served as Dean of the School of Music and Performing Arts at Oklahoma City University and as conductor of community orchestras and a community concert band. Before joining the faculty of Oklahoma City University, Thurston was Director of Bands, Adjunct Professor of Music and Associate Dean of the School of Music at Yale University. A native of Oklahoma, Thurston attended the University of Michigan, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music theory and served as assistant conductor of the University Symphony Orchestra and the Plymouth (Michigan) Symphony Orchestra. He then entered the U.S. Air Force and served five years as a navigator on transport aircraft before joining the Air Force band program. As a band officer he commanded and conducted bands in Washington DC, Texas, Hawaii and Virginia. From 1969, to 1975, he was commander and conductor of the U.S. Air Force Academy Band in Colorado Springs; during this period he was elected to membership in the prestigious American Bandmasters Association, which he has served as treasurer. The climax of his military career came in 1975, when he assumed command of the U.S. Armed Forces Bicentennial Band and Chorus, a 130-member joint service organization; in this post he conducted concerts in 45 states, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In earlier tours he appeared as conductor in Australia, New Zealand and the Azores. In 1980, he retired as a lieutenant colonel after a final tour of duty as Chief of Bands and Music, U.S. Air Force. While on active duty, Thurston earned the Ph. D. degree in musicology from The University of Texas at Austin. Throughout his career he has maintained an active schedule as guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator, and is also noted as an arranger of music for band, orchestra, and various solos and ensembles, with more than fifty publications to his credit.

Titles:

• 1994 B484SC – Bach Chorales for Strings (28 Chorales)
• S810CB – Two Jolly Fugues by Handel and Buxtehude
• 1991 B474SC – Bach Chorales for Band

Arrangements:

• 1999 S759CB – Two Solemn Pieces
• 1992 SU35 – Rose and the Nightingale, The
• 1992 SU68 – Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
• 1994 SU173CO – Friska: From Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
• 1994 SU191 – Canon
• 1992 SU27 – Rose and the Nightingale, The
• 1991 ST906 – Carnival Of Venice
• 1994 SU176 – The Cat’s Fugue
• 1992 SU64 – Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
• ST936CO – Euryanthe Overture
• 1992 SU115 – Allegro Spiritoso
• S634CB – March Salutation
• 1995 SU168 – Seven Sinfonias
• 1992 SU32 – Rose and the Nightingale, The
• 1999 S687CB – La Sorella
• 1993 SU119 – Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
• 1992 SU114 – Allegro Spiritoso
• 1991 ST980 – Finale (from William Tell Overture)
• R141FO – Variations on a Theme By Glinka
• 1995 SU198 – The Girl With the Flaxen Hair (La fille aux cheveux de lin)
• 1992 SU116 – Ode to Joy
• 1996 S679CB – Zacatecas
• 1997 S680CB – Invercargill
• 1986 R83 – Carmen Fantasy for Flute and Orchestra
• 1962 R107 – Napoli for Trumpet or Trombone and Orchestra
• 1992 SU101 – Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte
• 1992 SU33 – Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
• 1992 SU26 – Rose and the Nightingale, The
• 1993 SU166 – If Thou Be Near (Bist Du Bei Mir)
• 1996 R139FO – Concerto for Trombone
• 1993 SU120 – Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
• 1992 SU30 – Rose and the Nightingale, The
• 1991 ST948 – Ave Verum Corpus
• 1992 SU31 – Rose and the Nightingale, The
• 1992 SU23 – Rose and the Nightingale, The
• 1992 SO62 – Canon in D
• 1993 SU124 – Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
• 1994 SU172 – If Thou Be Near (Bist Du Bei Mir)
• 1992 SU24 – Rose and the Nightingale, The
• 1992 SU97 – Allegro Spiritoso
• 1992 SU28 – Rose and the Nightingale, The
• 1988 ST711 – Sonata in g Minor (Cat’s Fugue)
• 1994 SU190 – Canon in D
• 1993 SU123 – Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
• 1992 ST983 – Under the Double Eagle
• 1992 SU29 – Rose and the Nightingale, The
• 1996 S681CB – Bravura
• 1995 SU199 – The Cat’s Fugue
• 1991 ST905 – Carnival of Venice
• 1991 ST982CO – Il Turco in Italia
• ST733 – Prelude and Fugue
• 1994 SU175 – The Cat’s Fugue
• 1992 SU14 – Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
• 1992 SU063 – Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
• 1992 SU25 – Rose and the Nightingale, The
• R140FO – Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra
• ST901 – Procession Of the Sardar