Mr. Read retired from Gateway School District in 2016 after teaching 36 years. His responsibilities while at Gateway included the Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Jazz Band, Music Theory, AP Music Theory,, Music Technology, Marching Band, and Winter Color Guard. His Winter Color Guard programs have received numerous awards including several championships in TRWEA. They have been Regional Champions at several WGI Regional events and attained semi-finalist and finalist status in WGI World Championships. The Gateway Marching Band was class champion for many years in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Marching Band Association circuit, and was a Regional Finalist in numerous BOA Regionals. Mr. Read's passion for the Performing Arts also saw him as the Producer and Music Director for the 27 spring musicals at Gateway High School. His most notable accomplishments were his productions of Leonard Bernstein's "West Side Story" and "On The Town" as well as Gateway's critcally acclaimed production of "Les Miserables". Mr. Read's career began in the Churchill Area School District, which is now part of the Woodland Hills School District. During the summer months of his college years, Mr. Read was active as an instructor with the famed Casavant Cavalcade teaching camps for Drum Majors and Color Guard throughout the United States. While at IUP, Mr. Read started the Color Guard for the Marching Band and saw it develop into a vital aspect of the band. He also served as the Drum Major for the IUP Marching Band. Throughout his career, he has taught Band Camps in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Iowa, Missouri, Tennessee, Ohio, Nebraska, and West Virginia. Mr. Read remains active as an instructor and visual designer for several band programs, and is excited to be working with the Seton Hill Marching Band and Pep Band.

Education

• M.A. Music Education - Indiana University of Pennsylvania 1989 B.A. Music Education - Indiana University of Pennsylvania 1980 Graduate Studies in Conducting - Duquesne Univeristy

Awards

• Mr. Read was honored by the Gateway School District Board of Education after his retirement, when they unanimously voted to name the wing of Gateway High School with the theater, band room, choir room, dance studio, and percussion studio as the "Robert A. Read Performing Arts Center".