Robert Boyd

Robert A. Boyd taught choral music and music theory for thirty-three years at Lyons Township High School in La Grange, IL. From 1991-97 he was Choral Division Vice-President of the Illinois Music Educators Association. Mr. Boyd was honored to be the first conductor of IMEA’s Music Educator’s Day at the Capitol, held in the Capitol Rotunda in Springfield.  In 2003, the National Federation Interscholastic Music Association honored Bob as the Outstanding Music Educator of Illinois presented at the IMEA State Convention. He is the first Illinois choral director in the state to be so honored.  In addition, Bob has served the Illinois Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association in various capacities, and is currently Secretary of the state organization. In July of 2006, Boyd was awarded the Harold A. Decker Award for career choral excellence by the Illinois chapter of the ACDA.

Boyd earned a Bachelor of Music from Concordia College (Moorhead, MN) and a Master of Music from Northwestern University (Evanston, IL).  He was a member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus, under Margaret Hillis, conductor for 14 seasons, and currently sings with the St. Charles Singers. He has been a guest conductor at numerous choral festivals, at the junior and senior high school levels as well as at the university level.  He has been a guest speaker/choral clinician in secondary choral education at Millikin University, Northern Illinois University, Wheaton College, the University of Illinois and Northwestern Universities.  His men’s choir, mixed choirs and Madrigal Singers from Lyons Township High School have performed at the ACDA Central Division as well as IMEA State Conventions and Illinois ACDA conventions. 

Bob is currently serving as Lecturer in Choral Music Education at Northwestern University (Evanston).  He has composed/arranged commissioned works for choirs, and has twelve choral works currently in publication.  Bob had the honor of a joint commission from the Illinois chapter of ACDA and the IMEA for his arrangement of She Moved Through the Fair.  The work was performed in January 2006 by the All-State Honors Chorus, Sigrid Johnson (St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN), conductor.  Recently completed commissions include choral works for Kaneland High School, Sterling High School, St. Cletus Catholic Church (LaGrange), Pontiac High School, St. Charles Singers, and Stevenson High School.  The IMEA District 1 Senior Choir premiered his TTBB arrangement of Vive l'amour November of ’06 under the direction of Diane Hires.  He will guest conduct choirs at Illinois State University, Bradley University and the University of Minnesota—Duluth this coming school year.