Richard Beckford



ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Dr. Richard Beckford is widely regarded as one of the most visionary and effective band directors of his generation—a clinician, composer-arranger, and drill writer whose music and field shows have electrified high-school and collegiate audiences throughout the United States and abroad. Colleagues affectionately call him “The Pied Piper of Bands” because he has an uncanny ability to attract students to programs that once struggled for resources, then inspire those musicians to perform at levels that earn consistent superior ratings, invitations to major bowl games, and seats in nationally respected jazz venues. The results speak for themselves: many of his former students are now Grammy winners, educators, mentors, and community leaders who credit his guidance for launching their careers.
After earning legendary status with Florida A&M University’s world-famous Marching 100—where he served as tuba-section leader, band officer, student arranger, and the first four-time recipient of the ensemble’s Most Outstanding Band Member award—Dr. Beckford returned to his alma mater, Miami Carol City Senior High, to direct its bands for twelve years. There he forged powerhouse marching and concert ensembles and a jazz band that drew national attention. In 2001 he briefly stepped into school administration, coordinating the Visual and Performing Arts Magnet at Norland Middle School and later serving Broward County schools, but the podium soon called him back.
In 2004 he accepted the baton at Blanche Ely High School, where membership skyrocketed from just seventeen musicians to more than 250 each year. Over the next fifteen seasons the “Pride of Pompano” earned a reputation for musical excellence, became a pipeline to college scholarships, and captured audiences at state festivals, college bowl halftime shows, and high-profile community events. When Miami-Dade County Public Schools launched a Re-Envisioning Project for Miami Carol City in 2018, district leaders and community members asked Dr. Beckford to return and rebuild the program he had once elevated. Starting with only five players, he rapidly expanded the roster to more than 120 and integrated the arts into the school’s broader academic renaissance.
Throughout his three-decade career Dr. Beckford has collected countless honors for musicianship, leadership, and service. He maintains active memberships in Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, the Florida Bandmasters Association, the Florida Music Educators Association, the International Association of Jazz Educators, and other professional organizations that shape the future of music education.
Away from the rehearsal hall he is a devoted husband and the father of four daughters. He credits his faith for the patience, strength, and perseverance that let him balance family life with the demands of directing, composing, mentoring, and community service. Dr. Beckford’s enduring mission is to use instrumental music as a vehicle for young people to discover their purpose, pursue their passion, and fulfill their destiny.