Josh Byrd, D.M.A.

Josh Byrd serves as Director of Bands and Professor of Music at the University of West Georgia. His primary responsibilities include conducting the Wind Ensemble, teaching conducting and music education courses, supervising student teachers, and administrating all aspects of the UWG band program.  Prior to his appointment he served as Director of Bands at Arrowhead High School in Hartland, Wisconsin and Assistant Director of Bands at Lanier Middle School and Norcross High School in Gwinnett County, Georgia.

Dr. Byrd received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting and a minor in Music Theory from the University of Georgia where he studied with John Lynch.  He received his Master of Music degree in Conducting while studying with Tom Dvorak at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Georgia where he studied saxophone with Kenneth Fischer and conducting with Dwight Satterwhite and John Culvahouse.

Dr. Byrd is an active clinician, having presented at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, CBDNA National Conference, and multiple times at the GMEA annual in-service conference, including 2018 as the conductor of the UWG Wind Ensemble for the group’s first performance there in over twenty years. In 2020, the Wind Ensemble performed at the CBDNA Southern Division Conference for the first time in the program’s history. Dr. Byrd is a strong advocate of new music, having been part of numerous commissioning consortiums and world premieres during his tenure at UWG, including Jamie Thierman’s Sankofa, Joseph Schwantner’s Luminosity, David Maslanka’s Symphony No. 10, Viet Cuong’s Bull’s-Eye, John Mackey’s Places we can no longer go and Divine Mischief, Katahj Copley’s Dope, and Jennifer Higdon’s Aspire.

Dr. Byrd is a published arranger; his most recent works include Beethoven’s “Opus 103b” and Wiggin’s March Timpani (Maestro and Fox Music, 2020) and Chabrier’s España Rhapsody (C. Alan Publications, 2021). He also serves as conductor of the West Georgia Winds, a regional high school honor band. His professional affiliations include the Georgia Music Educators Association, National Association for Music Education, College Band Directors National Association, the National Band Association, Pi Kappa Lambda, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and Phi Beta Mu.  Dr. Byrd lives in Carrollton with his wife, Katie, and their two children, Tripp and Haley.

  • B.M., Music Education, University of Georgia, 2000
  • M.M., Instrumental Conducting, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2005
  • D.M.A, Conducting, University of Georgia, 2011

Spring 2024 Sections

Fall 2023 Sections

Summer 2023 Sections

Spring 2023 Sections

Fall 2022 Sections

Summer 2022 Sections

Spring 2022 Sections

Fall 2021 Sections

Summer 2021 Sections

Spring 2021 Sections

Fall 2020 Sections

Spring 2020 Sections

  • MUSC-2700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-2800G (Small Ensemble:Woodwind Ensemb) Section: 01
  • MUSC-3230 (Techn in Comp & Improvisation) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4021 (Instrumental Methd & Materials) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4186 (Teaching Internship) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4187 (Teaching Internship) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4188 (Teaching Internship) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4800G (Small Ens: Woodwind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-5700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01

Fall 2019 Sections

  • MUSC-2700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-3230 (Techn in Comp & Improvisation) Section: 01
  • MUSC-3603 (Percussion Tech & Materials) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4200 (Orchestration and Arranging) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-5700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01

Spring 2019 Sections

  • MUSC-2700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-2800G (Small Ensemble:Woodwind Ensemb) Section: 01
  • MUSC-3230 (Techn in Comp & Improvisation) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4021 (Instrumental Methd & Materials) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4186 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4187 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4188 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4800G (Small Ens: Woodwind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-5700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01

Fall 2018 Sections

  • MUSC-2700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-3603 (Percussion Tech & Materials) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4160 (Instrumental Pedagogy and Lit) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4200 (Orchestration and Arranging) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4850 (Applied Conducting) Section: 01
  • MUSC-5160 (Instrumental Pedagogy & Lit) Section: 01
  • MUSC-5700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-5850 (Applied Conducting) Section: 01

Spring 2018 Sections

  • MUSC-2700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-2800G (Small Ensemble:Woodwind Ensemb) Section: 01
  • MUSC-3230 (Techn in Comp & Improvisation) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4021 (Instrumental Methd & Materials) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4186 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4187 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4188 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4800G (Small Ens: Woodwind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-5700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01

Fall 2017 Sections

  • MUSC-2700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-3603 (Percussion Tech & Materials) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4200 (Orchestration and Arranging) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4850 (Applied Conducting) Section: 01
  • MUSC-5700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-5850 (Applied Conducting) Section: 01

Summer 2017 Sections

  • MUSC-1100 (Music Appreciation) Section: E02

Spring 2017 Sections

  • MUSC-2700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-2800G (Small Ensemble:Woodwind Ensemb) Section: 01
  • MUSC-3230 (Techn in Comp & Improvisation) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4021 (Instrumental Methd & Materials) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4186 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4187 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4188 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4800G (Small Ens: Woodwind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4850 (Applied Conducting) Section: 01
  • MUSC-5700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-5800G (Small Ens:Woodwind Ensemble) Section: 01

Fall 2016 Sections

  • MUSC-2700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-3603 (Percussion Tech & Materials) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4160 (Instrumental Pedagogy and Lit) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4186 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4187 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4188 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4200 (Orchestration and Arranging) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-5160 (Instrumental Pedagogy & Lit) Section: 01
  • MUSC-5700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01

Summer 2016 Sections

  • MUSC-6184 (Seminar in Music Education) Section: E01

Spring 2016 Sections

  • MUSC-2700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 1
  • MUSC-2800G (Small Ensemble:Woodwind Ensemb) Section: 1
  • MUSC-3230 (Techn in Comp & Improvisation) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4021 (Instrumental Methd & Materials) Section: 1
  • MUSC-4186 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4188 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4800G (Small Ens: Woodwind Ensemble) Section: 1
  • MUSC-5700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 1
  • MUSC-5800G (Small Ens:Woodwind Ensemble) Section: 1

Fall 2015 Sections

  • MUSC-2700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-3230 (Techn in Comp & Improvisation) Section: 01
  • MUSC-3603 (Percussion Tech & Materials) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4186 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4187 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4188 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-5700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01

Summer 2015 Sections

  • MUSC-5230 (Technology in Music Education) Section: E01

Spring 2015 Sections

  • MUSC-2700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-2800G (Small Ensemble:Woodwind Ensemb) Section: 01
  • MUSC-3230 (Techn in Comp & Improvisation) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4021 (Instrumental Methd & Materials) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4186 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4187 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4188 (Teaching Internship) Section: 02
  • MUSC-4700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-4800G (Small Ens: Woodwind Ensemble) Section: 01
  • MUSC-5700 (Wind Ensemble) Section: 01