Richard Weymuth

Dr. Richard Weymuth is a native of Cole Camp, Missouri. He has taught vocal music from kindergarten to university level until his retirement.

Weymuth moved to his last position at Northwest Missouri State University in 1980. As Director of Choirs and Professor of Music, he not only directed Northwest Celebration Show Choir, Tower Concert Choir, and Madraliers Renaissance Ensemble, but also taught courses in secondary choral methods, choral conducting, and applied voice. His administrative duties included: Director of the Northwest Summer Music Camps, Director of the 48-school Northwest Jazz and Show Choir Festival, Choral Director of University Musicals, and Producer of the Northwest Yuletide Feastes.

Weymuth received his B.M.E. and M.A. degrees from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Missouri, and his Ph.D. from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. His dissertation title was "The Development and Evaluation of a Cognitive Music Achievement Test to Evaluate Missouri High School Choral Music Students."

Dr. Weymuth is a past president of Missouri American Choral Directors Association, a past vice president of the Missouri Music Educators Association, and a past president of Missouri Student Music Educators Association. In 2002 he was inducted into the Missouri Music Hall of Fame as the thirtieth recipient. He was only the fourth Choral Director to be inducted. In 1992 he received the Luther T. Spayde Award from the Missouri American Choral Directors Association as the Outstanding Choral Director of the Year. He was named Outstanding Music Alumni of the Year in 1981 by Central Missouri State University.

Dr. Weymuth made his conducting debut at Carnegie Hall in New York City on Palm Sunday 2008. He conducted a choir of 250 singers, four professional soloists and a professional symphony orchestra. In the fall of 1992 Dr. Weymuth was one of six choral conductors from the U.S.A. selected to participant in the International Choral Directors Music Exchange with Sweden. He spent two weeks touring Sweden and working with their outstanding choral ensembles.

Dr. Weymuth's most recent book is Five Minutes to Music History that is a one hundred plus page reproducible book for grades 5 - 12 published by Shawnee Press. Other publications include: The Hats of a Teacher, published by Heritage Publishing Company; Getting Started with Jazz/Show Choir. (one of eight authors), edited by Russell L. Robinson, published by Music Educators National Conference, 1994; and a resource book titled Selected Renaissance Literature for the High School Choir published by Laudamus Press, 1993, available from J.W. Pepper Music Co.

Along with his teaching, directing and publishing achievements Weymuth is known for his numerous junior and senior high school choral clinics. During his career, he has conducted over 800 choral clinics and festivals. He has conducted major choral festivals and all-state choirs in 39 states and five foreign countries. Dr. Weymuth is also known for his numerous national and regional workshops on Classroom Motivation, Student Leadership, Success in the Classroom, Choral Literature, and Show Choir Techniques.

Dr. Weymuth's wife, Annelle, was the Executive Assistant to the President at Northwest Missouri State University. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of Missouri-Columbia in Family Studies and Higher Education Administration. She is a past state president of the Missouri Home Economics Association, and past state president of Missouri American Association of University Women. Annelle and Rick have a son and daughter-in-law that live in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are proud grandparents of Olivia Nichole Weymuth. They split retirement time between their homes in Maryville, Missouri, and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

Past DCINY Concert Appearance:

March 16, 2008 - Carnegie Hall