George Schrader Ph.D.

George Schrader Jr. was appointed the Director of Bands at Oklahoma Christian University in the Fall of 2021. He is the director of the OC Symphony Band and the Sweat Band (pep band). Dr. Schrader also instructs other music education courses, including music history, brass methods, and serves as a field supervisor for student teachers. He is also the university liaison for the Oklahoma Community Orchestra.

Prior to this appointment, Dr. Schrader served as the Associate Director of Bands at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, where he was the director of the Javelina Marching Band and the TAMUK Symphonic Band from 2019 through 2021. For the 2015-2016 academic year, he was the Interim Associate Director of Bands at the University of Wyoming, following the completion of his master’s degree, where he directed the “Western Thunder” Marching Band, and the UW Symphony Band. He was also a public-school educator in the State of New Mexico from 2007 through 2012 in the cities of Albuquerque and Bloomfield, where he taught band and choir in grades 5-12.

Dr. Schrader has served as a drill writer, music arranger, and student-leadership clinician for marching bands in Michigan, Indiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and elsewhere. He has completed commissions for concert ensembles in New Mexico and Michigan, and continues to seek out new opportunities to compose. His research is focused on electronic elements in classical music, as well as the life and works of American composer, Robert Kurka (1921-1957).

Dr. Schrader has had the privilege of studying with William Wakefield, Michael Hancock, Shanti Simon and Robert Belser, and further conducting training with Gerard Schwartz, Craig Kirchhoff, Mallory Thompson, Richard Floyd, John Whitwell, Ray Cramer, Steven Davis, Richard Crain, Jack Stamp, Colonel Larry Lang and Paul Popiel. He is an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma, and Phi Mu Alpha, and has professional memberships with CBDNA, OkMEA, NAfME, and TMEA. He is a former member of the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps (mellophone, 2002).

Dr. Schrader resides in Piedmont, Oklahoma with his wife Whitney (RN, BSN), daughter Norah, and son George III. The Schrader family are members of Memorial Road Church of Christ.