Richard Waters is Director of Choral Activities, Voice Area Coordinator, and Professor of Music at Eastern Kentucky University, where he directs University Singers (SATB) and Koros (TTBB), teaches courses in conducting and choral literature, and oversees the graduate choral conducting program. Choirs under his direction have performed at the ACDA Southern Division Conference (Memphis, 2010), the Kentucky Music Educators Association state conference (2016, 2021, 2022), and the Mississippi ACDA/MMEA state conference (2007, 2011). His ensembles have appeared in prominent national and international venues, including Carnegie Hall, Washington National Cathedral, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, York Minster, and Salzburg Cathedral, and have toured throughout England, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Ireland.
In recognition of his service to the profession, Dr. Waters received the Robert K. Baar Choral Excellence Award from Kentucky ACDA in 2022. He was named College/University Teacher of the Year for KMEA District 11 in 2012 and 2016 and received Distinguished Educational Leadership Awards from the EKU Student Government Association in 2016 and 2017. From 2003–2011, he served as Director of Choral Activities at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, where he was awarded the 2008 DSU Foundation Prize for Excellence in Teaching.
Dr. Waters maintains an active schedule as a composer, clinician, and adjudicator. His works are published by Carl Fischer Music, Colla Voce Music, Hinshaw Music, MorningStar Music, MusicSpoke, and St. James Music Press, and have been featured at numerous conferences, festivals, and honor choirs. He currently serves as Repertoire-Specific Coordinator for Kentucky ACDA and has previously held leadership roles with ACDA Southern Division, Mississippi ACDA, and three national conferences.
In addition to his university responsibilities, Dr. Waters conducts the Stephen Foster Music Camp High School Choir and serves as Chancel Choir Director at First Christian Church in Richmond, Kentucky. A lifelong church musician, he has previously served Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist, and Presbyterian congregations in Connecticut, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Virginia. He has served as Artistic Director of the Kentucky Bach Choir (Lexington, KY), Conductor of the Madison Singers (Richmond, KY), Artistic Director of The Mississippi Chorus (Jackson, MS), Assistant Conductor of the Choral Society of Greensboro, conductor of the UNCG Men’s Glee Club, and taught high school and middle school choir in the Virginia public schools. While in Hartford, he sang with CONCORA (Connecticut Choral Artists), the region’s first professional choir. A native of Richmond, Virginia, he began singing as a treble in the All Saints Choir of Men and Boys.
Dr. Waters received the Bachelor of Music degree in music education from James Madison University, the Master of Music degree in choral conducting from the Hartt School of Music, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He has studied conducting with William Carroll, Richard Coffey, David Watkins, Michael Yachanin, and Welborn Young, and has participated in master classes led by Rodney Eichenberger, Dennis Keene, and Doreen Rao. He holds memberships in the American Choral Directors Association, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, National Collegiate Choral Organization, Omicron Delta Kappa, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Pi Kappa Lambda, and is a National Arts Associate of Sigma Alpha Iota.
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Richard Waters is Director of Choral Activities, Voice Area Coordinator, and Professor of Music at Eastern Kentucky University, where he directs two choral ensembles, teaches conducting and choral literature, and oversees the graduate choral conducting program. His choirs have toured nationally and internationally and have performed at state and regional conferences. Dr. Waters received the 2022 Robert K. Baar Choral Excellence Award from Kentucky ACDA in recognition of his service to the profession. His compositions have been featured at festivals, conferences, and honor choirs across the country. He has degrees in music education and choral conducting from James Madison University (BM), the Hartt School of Music (MM), and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (DMA).