David Gorham

TOC Team

David Gorham retired in 2014 after 32 years in public school music education. He served as Director of Bands at Owasso High School for 25 years, 1989-2014, where he oversaw the entire band program, directed the Wind Ensemble, Concert Band II, and the Pride of Owasso marching band, as well as teaching AP Music Theory. During his tenure, the high school band grew from 120 to 380 members. Before coming to Owasso, he taught five years in Van Buren, Arkansas as Eighth Grade band director. The ensembles under his leadership have all earned Superior ratings at every region and state event for the 30 consecutive years. The Owasso Wind Ensemble performed at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in 1999 & 2012, and was selected as an Oklahoma Music Educator’s Association Honor Group seven times. The band program was awarded the Sudler Flag of Honor and Sudler Shield by the Sousa Foundation. They are the only program in Oklahoma to be honored with both awards. The marching band made three appearances in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade under his leadership, and was named the Overall Best Band in the 2014 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland. In addition, they were named finalists at Bands of America Regionals in St. Louis, Arlington, San Antonio, Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Grand Nationals Championships. In 2012, they were the BOA St. Louis Super-Regional Champions. Mr. Gorham was born in Hope, Arkansas and graduated from Hope High School in 1978. In 1982, he received his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from the University of Arkansas. He received his Master of Music Education from the University of Arkansas in 1993. Mr. Gorham was selected as the Oklahoma Bandmasters Association Director of the Year for 1997. In addition, he was the 1988 ASBDA-Stanbury Award winner for Arkansas and the 1992 ASBDA-Stanbury Award winner for the South Central Region. In 2006, Mr. Gorham was the 2006 Section 6 recipient of the Outstanding Music Educator Award by the National Federation of High Schools. He was a recipient of the Oklahoma Music Educators Association Exemplary Teacher award in 2010, and Bandworld Legion of Honor Laureate in 2011. He is a member of Phi Beta Mu and the American Bandmasters Association. Mr. Gorham and the Owasso band program were featured in the September 2013 addition of School Band and Orchestra magazine. In 1999, he was listed in SBO as one of “50 Directors Who Make a Difference”, and in 2009 was included in the Instrumentalist magazine article “Five Perspectives on Warm-Ups”. Mr. Gorham has over 85 published works for concert band, published by Wingert-Jones Music Co.,Barnhouse, and Southern Music Co. These works have been included on contest lists throughout the United States, Australia, and Japan. He has composed a number of commissioned works for groups throughout the country, including the University of Arkansas Wind Ensemble, Arkansas All-State Band, the North Hills Symphony Band (Pittsburgh, PA), and the United States Air Force Band of Mid-America. For 30 years, Mr. Gorham had the privilege of working with his wife, Jana, an active band director and clinician. They have one son, Brant.