Josh Byrd, D.M.A.

Professor of Music & Director of Bands
School of Visual and Performing Arts College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences

678-839-6267
jbyrd@w21mde6KIFnm2sys5YaTb1axW1XoOljNrh5Nzestga.edu

Humanities Building - Room 109C

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Josh Byrd, D.M.A.
Biography

Josh Byrd serves as Director of Bands and Professor of Music at the University of West Georgia. His primary responsibilities include conducting the Wind Ensemble, teaching conducting and music education courses, supervising student teachers, and administrating all aspects of the UWG band program.  Prior to his appointment he served as Director of Bands at Arrowhead High School in Hartland, Wisconsin and Assistant Director of Bands at Lanier Middle School and Norcross High School in Gwinnett County, Georgia.

Dr. Byrd received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting and a minor in Music Theory from the University of Georgia where he studied with John Lynch.  He received his Master of Music degree in Conducting while studying with Tom Dvorak at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Georgia where he studied saxophone with Kenneth Fischer and conducting with Dwight Satterwhite and John Culvahouse.

Dr. Byrd is an active clinician, having presented at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, CBDNA National Conference, and multiple times at the GMEA annual in-service conference, including 2018 as the conductor of the UWG Wind Ensemble for the group’s first performance there in over twenty years. In 2020, the Wind Ensemble performed at the CBDNA Southern Division Conference for the first time in the program’s history. Dr. Byrd is a strong advocate of new music, having been part of numerous commissioning consortiums and world premieres during his tenure at UWG, including Jamie Thierman’s Sankofa, Joseph Schwantner’s Luminosity, David Maslanka’s Symphony No. 10, Viet Cuong’s Bull’s-Eye, John Mackey’s Places we can no longer go and Divine Mischief, Katahj Copley’s Dope, and Jennifer Higdon’s Aspire.

Dr. Byrd is a published arranger; his most recent works include Beethoven’s “Opus 103b” and Wiggin’s March Timpani (Maestro and Fox Music, 2020) and Chabrier’s España Rhapsody (C. Alan Publications, 2021). He also serves as conductor of the West Georgia Winds, a regional high school honor band. His professional affiliations include the Georgia Music Educators Association, National Association for Music Education, College Band Directors National Association, the National Band Association, Pi Kappa Lambda, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Phi Beta Mu.  Dr. Byrd lives in Carrollton with his wife, Katie, and their two children, Tripp and Haley.

Education / Degrees
  • B.M., Music Education, University of Georgia, 2000
  • M.M., Instrumental Conducting, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2005
  • D.M.A, Conducting, University of Georgia, 2011
Courses Taught
Course Sections and Syllabi

Fall 2025 Sections

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Fall 2020 Sections