Theodore Dollarhide

Composer, conductor and music educator Theodore (Ted) Dollarhide was born in Santa Rosa, California, August 30, 1948. He began the study of the piano at age 7, switched to trumpet at age 9 and finally settled on the tuba as his primary instrument. Ted received his AA degree in Music from Santa Rosa Junior College in 1968 with the generous help of a Doyle Scholarship. After a brief tour as a tuba player in the U.S. Air Force Band, he received his BA degree with honors in music composition from San Jose State University where he studied composition and conducting under Higo Harada.  While in San Jose, George Cleve, Music Director of the San Jose Symphony invited Ted to conduct his orchestral work, Movements for Orchestra, with the San Jose Symphony.

In 1972, Ted began studies at the University of Michigan where his Masters and Doctorate degrees in Composition were earned under the guidance of Leslie Bassett, George Wilson, Ross Lee Finney, and Bill Bolcom. Further honors came in the way of a Fulbright Fellowship for study in Paris, France, with composer Eugene Kurtz; as a Tanglewood Fellow; and a Broadcast Music Inc., New York Prize.

Ted’s compositions have received many awards, performances and recordings. His works for concert band have been performed and recorded by some of the most eminent conductors in the band field such as H. Robert Reynolds at the University of Michigan, Eugene Corporon at North Texas State University and Tom Dvorak at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. During the 1980’s, Ted served as the Composer-in-Residence with the Santa Rosa Symphony under Conductor Emeritus, Corrick Brown. This fruitful collaboration resulted in the work, The Dark Horse, which was a finalist in the Friedheim-Kenney Center Composition Contest.

His many years of conducting experience have been an interesting vehicle in Ted’s life.  They have taken him from the most elegant concert halls to the walls of the Nevada State Penitentiary where he led a male choir. He was also the Music Director/Conductor of the North Port (FL) Symphony Orchestra and conducted the concert and jazz bands at Manatee College in Bradenton, FL.

Currently, Ted is Coordinator of the Music Program at Rogue Community College and Music Director/Conductor of the Southern Oregon Concert Band.