Richard Pressley has enjoyed many performances of his works in the U.S. and Europe. He began his musical career in rock music in his early teens, playing and touring with rock and punk bands. He then attended the University of Indianapolis and Butler University for his B.M., Cambridge University for his Master’s, and the University of Minnesota for his Ph. D; also doing post-doctoral study at the Karlsruhe Musikhochschule and Darmstadt in Germany. His composition instructors include Wolfgang Rihm, Sandeep Bhagwati, Dominick Argento, Judith Lang Zaimont, Alex Lubet, Daniel Chua, and Michael Schelle. He has also participated in master classes and private sessions with many of today’s leading composers.
Richard has taught at Ball State University, Indiana Wesleyan University, and The Master's College. His courses included all levels of Music Theory and Aural Skills, Music Composition, Professional Arranging, Orchestration, Band Arranging, Music Appreciation, and Songwriting. He has also mentored with studio and film recording projects, and continues to remain abreast of modern 'popular' music styles of all kinds. In addition, he is quite comfortable teaching music history (ancient and modern).
He has also given presentations on music of all types at conferences and seminars across the U.S. focusing particularly on the relationship between music and text, including the music of Elliott Carter, Ben Johnston, William Grant Still, J. S. Bach, Felix Mendelssohn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Robert Schumann, Franz Schubert, Frederic Chopin, John Rutter, and John Ness Beck.
For my résumé as well as a complete and regularly updated list of all my performances, presentations, etc. please visit my website rpressley.com.