Dr. Douglas Stotter

Artistic Director, Principal Conductor

Dr. Douglas Stotter was appointed to the position of Artistic Director for
the Dallas Civic Wind Ensemble in June 2010 for its inaugural season.

Dr. Stotter is Director of Bands, Associate Professor of Music and
Coordinator of the Wind and Percussion Division in the UTA Music Department. He
conducts the Wind Symphony and teaches undergraduate and graduate conducting and
wind literature courses while overseeing all aspects of the band program. He
is active as conductor, clinician and adjudicator throughout the United
States and most recently in China, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.Prior to his
appointment at UTA, Dr. Stotter served for seven years as Assistant Director of
Bands at Indiana University, where he conducted the Concert and
Symphonic Bands and taught advanced undergaduate and graduate instrumental conducting
courses in the IU School of Music.

Previously, Dr. Stotter was Director of Bands and head of instrumental 
music education at Valdosta State University, where he conducted the Wind 
Ensemble, Concert Band, and Marching Band and taught courses in conducting, 
marching band techniques and secondary instrumental methods. Dr. Stotter has 
also served as Director of Bands at the University of Missouri-Rolla, Doane 
College in Nebraska and at Galesburg (Illinois) High School.

Dr. Stotter's textbook, Methods and Materials for Conducting, was published
in 2006 by GIA Publications and is now in use at numerous universities across
the country. His other publications include contributions to the text Teaching
Music Through Performance in Band (Volumes 5, 6, 7 and 8), as well as research
into the history of Edwin Franko Goldman and the Goldman Band published in the
Journal of Band Research. His arrangement for concert band of songs by Ralph
Vaughn Williams, Three Dorset Songs, was published in 2003 by Daehn Music and
performed in 2004 at the Midwest Clinic. His latest arrangement, a setting of
Percy Grainger's Sussex Mummer's Christmas Carol, was published in 2006 by Daehn
Music. Dr. Stotter also served for 9 years as Editor of the College Band
Directors National Association Report.

Dr. Stotter received Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music education from
The University of Michigan and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting
from The University of Iowa. He is a member of the Conductors Guild, the Music
Educators National Conference, the National Band Association, the Texas 
Bandmasters Association, the Texas Music Educators Association and is an
active member of the College Band Directors National Association, serving on the
National Executive Board as treasurer. He is an honorary member of Kappa Kappa
Psi and Tau Beta Sigma chapters at Indiana University, the University of
Missouri-Rolla, Valdosta State University and the University of Michigan.

Preston Prior
Founder, Associate Conductor

Preston Prior founded the Dallas Civic Wind Ensemble in Summer 2010; Prior  serves as the ensemble's Executive Director as well as associate conductor and occasional trumpet section member. Mr. Prior is a professional trumpet player, conductor, clinician as well as a music educator / band director in the DFW area. He is the current Director of Bands at Hector P. Garcia Middle School in the Bishop Arts District of Dallas, TX. During his time at Garcia MS he has grown the band program from 90 members to over 360, added an assistant director, and earned the school’s first UIL Sweepstakes in history. Mr. Prior was previously the director of bands at Walnut Grove Middle School in Midlothian, TX as well as the Music Department Chair of Bishop Dunne Catholic School teaching band, orchestra, and choir.


Mr. Prior holds degrees from Illinois Wesleyan University and the University of Texas at Arlington. He graduated summa cum laude from Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois with a degree in music education with a focus in brasswinds and conducting. Mr. Prior studied trumpet with Rick Leister, Steven Eggleston, and Amy McCabe of the President's Own Marine Band. Mr. Prior studied instrumental and orchestral conducting under Steven Eggleston and, and choral conducting under Dr. J. Scott Ferguson, and Dr. Timothy Koch. During his time at Illinois Wesleyan, Mr. Prior formed a concert band which still puts on performances. Mr. Prior began his Master's of Music Education with focus on instrumental conducting at Southern Methodist University where he studied under Thomas Tunks, Brian Merrill, and Lynne Jackson. Mr. Prior transferred to the University of Texas At Arlington with a full graduate teaching assistant appointment. There, Mr. Prior studied under Dr. Douglas Stotter and Dr. John Zastoupil. Mr. Prior was an an assistant with the marching band, assisted in teaching music education and conducting courses, ran the indoor athletic bands program (Mav Brass), and conducted the Symphonic Band. He also served as principal trumpet of both the UTA Wind Symphony and UTA Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Prior graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA from UTA.

Mr. Prior currently performs and does clinics across the DFW Metroplex. Mr. Prior is a member of the National Association of Music Educators, Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Educators Association, and Kappa Delta Pi honors society for educators.