Richard J. Suddendorf taught at The Ohio State University from 1956 until 1970 where he was Professor of Trumpet, Director of the University Brass Choir, Associate Conductor of the Ohio State Concert Band and a member of the Faculty Brass Quintet.
Mr. Suddendorf was at Capital University in Columbus, OH, from 1970 until 1979. He served as Director of Bands, Instrumental Department Coordinator and Conductor of the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, University Concert Band and the University Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Suddendorf was Director of Bands and Professor of Music at Western Michigan University from 1979 until 1991. During his tenure at Western, the University Symphonic Band performed at several professional conferences throughout the country. This same ensemble made several series of recordings for Carl Fischer and for Boosey and Hawkes.
Throughout his twelve years at Western, Mr. Suddendorf taught highly regarded conducting classes at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and served on the faculty for the School of Music’s SEMINAR summer music program for high school students. In 1981 he founded the Kalamazoo Youth Wind Ensemble/Kalamazoo Youth Symphonic Band, a special ensemble for outstanding high school instrumentalists from Southwest Michigan, which he conducted until 1991.
Among his numerous professional honors and awards, Mr. Suddendorf received Distinguished Teaching Awards from The Ohio State University, Capital University and Western Michigan University.
Mr. Suddendorf was conductor and musical director of the Lansing Concert Band, Lansing Michigan, from 1994 to 1999. Since 2001 he has been music director and conductor of the Westerville Concert Band. In 2001 he formed the Vintage Brass Quintet which performs at retirement and nursing homes in the Columbus area.
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