As a creative person with a natural gift for music, Ronald George Horner, DMA has always wanted to pursue his passion. His parents bought him his first drum kit when he was three years old, and since then he prepared for his career by obtaining a Bachelor of Science from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1978, a Master of Music from Duquesne University in 1988, an artist diploma in Timpani from Duquesne University in 1992, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from West Virginia University in 2005. In 1978, Dr. Horner became professionally certified in education through the Pennsylvania Department of Education and he began his career as a percussionist with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Tel-Aviv, Israel. From 1983 to 1985, he served as the director of percussion studies at Seton Hill College in Greensburg, PA. From 1985 to 1996, he served as the instructor of music at the University of Pittsburgh and was a percussionist substitute in the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. During this time, he also became a senior lecturer of music at Frostburg State University, a position he held until 2018. Currently, Dr. Horner is an assistant professor of music at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
In addition to his primary roles as a musician and educator, Dr. Horner also served in various other positions in the field. He was the conductor of the Bedford All County Band in Pennsylvania, the adjudicator of the Western Maryland Ensemble Festival in Hagerstown, MD, and a guest lecturer at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, PA. He is currently the music director of the Arion Band of Frostburg in Maryland. Throughout his career and education, Dr. Horner was influenced by mentors and teachers from the New York Philharmonic and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. However, he was mostly inspired by his parents, who taught him valuable lessons about life and career.
Dr. Horner considers a highlight of his prolific career as the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall under the direction of Leonard Bernstein. As a testament to his professional success as a music educator, Dr. Horner was named Educator of the Year by the Grammy Foundation for Music in 2015. In his spare time outside work, Dr. Horner enjoys golf, skiing, and classic sports cars.
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