- Date Of Birth: September 22, 1944
- Date Of Death: May 22, 2020
- State: Indiana
Dr. John Pretz Boyd passed away May 22, 2020 at Harrison’s Crossing. He was born September 22, 1944 in Kansas City, MO to Verne Wendell & Nellie Pretz Boyd.
He is preceded in death by his parents and his wife of 47 years DeeAnn Boyd (dec. May 30, 2015).
John graduated from Manhattan High School (KS).
His major studying was with John Paynter, Bernard Rubenstein, and Crawford Gates.
He aught at Northern Illinois University, Wichita State University, Kent State University, University of Arizona, and Indiana State University.
His bands performed at numerous state, regional, and national MENC conferences. His wind ensemble toured Tajimi, Japan in 2001 as a cultural exchange with Terre Haute’s sister city.
Locally, he conducted the TH Youth Orchestra for a few years in early 1990’s, and guest conducted with the TH Symphony, the TH Community Band, and the Brazil (IN) Community band.
He established a professional wind orchestra “Philharmonia a Vent” which performed and recorded CDs on the “Elf” label in cooperation with Frederick Fennell and Elizabeth Ludwig Fennell.
He was a conductor/clinician throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia.
He conducted the Philharmonic Winds of Singapore, the Central Conservatory of Beijing, and Guangzhou Conservatory China, military band of the PLA in Beijing, China, Osaka Philharmonic Winds, Japan, Taiwan wind ensemble, and Taiwan military band.
He conducted the United States Army Band of Washington, DC, (Pershing’s Own) twice, the United States Army Field Band, and conducted/lectured three times at the Royal Northern College of Music at Manchester in the United Kingdom, and at three WASBE International Conferences.
He recorded seven CDs to high acclaim and arranged or composed hundreds of compositions for bands that are still widely played today.
