Dr. Michael Scarbrough received his Bachelor of Music Education with Theory Option degree from McMurry University, and Master of Church Music degree from Scarritt College in Nashville, Tennessee, and the Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. His dissertation, "Portrait of a Leading Choral Conductor: The Life and Work of Roger Wagner," was nominated for the Council of Research in Music Education's Award for "Best Dissertation in Music Education in 1996." In 1996, he was also elected to Phi Kappa Phi, a graduate honors fraternity. He is currently a member of the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Choral Directors Association, the American Choral Directors Association, and the National Association of Teachers of Singing (currently serving as President of the Great Plains chapter of NATS).
He joined the music faculty at Abilene Christian University in 1982, and currently serves as Director of Choral Activities and associate professor of voice. Dr. Scarbrough's teaching duties include A Cappella Chorus, The Light, advanced choral conducting, observation of students teachers, and private voice.
As a conductor, Scarbrough has conducted choral clinics ranging from area high school choirs to the Texas Private School's Music Educators Associations All-State Choir. He has toured with choral groups throughout the U.S. and to Europe and South America, and has served as adjudicator and clinician in Tennessee, Arizona and Texas. He has also conducted several musicals, operas, and opera scenes, as well as major works for chorus and orchestra.The A Cappella Chorus has performed at such prestigious venues as the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, TX and the Wortham Center in Houston, TX.
As a voice teacher, he has demonstrated great success with all levels of students. Many of his high school students have reached the Texas All-State choir, while many of his university students have been accepted to such prestigious graduate schools as the Cincinnati Conservatory, Florida State University, the University of Colorado, Boston Conservatory, and Arizona State University to name a few. He also works in an advisory capacity to several professional singers. Many of his students have become successful professional performers and music educators.
