David W. Gorham composer

David Gorham has been Director of Bands at Owasso High School since 1989. Before coming to Owasso, he taught five years in Van Buren, Arkansas. As Eighth Grade band director, Mr. Gorham's bands consistently received Superior ratings in concert and sight-reading. At Owasso High School, his duties not only include overseeing the entire band program, but also directing the Wind Ensemble, Concert Band II, and The Pride marching band all of which have earned Superior ratings at every event for the past seventeen years. The Wind Ensemble has performed at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, and has been an Oklahoma Music Educator’s Association Honor Group six times. The band program has been awarded the Sudler Flag of Honor and Sudler Shield by the Sousa Foundation.

Mr. Gorham was born in Hope, Arkansas and graduated from Hope High School in 1978. In 1982, he received his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from the University of Arkansas. While at Arkansas, he received the Henry G. & Stella Hotz Award for outstanding sophomore in the College of Education, and was a Presser Scholar. He received his Master of Music Education from the University of Arkansas in 1993.

Mr. Gorham was selected as the Oklahoma Bandmasters Association Director of the Year for 1997. In addition, he was the 1988 ASBDA-Stanbury Award winner for Arkansas and the 1992 ASBDA-Stanbury Award winner for the South Central Region. He is a member of Phi Beta Mu and the American Bandmasters Association.

Mr. Gorham has almost 60 published works for concert band. These works have been included on contest lists throughout the United States, Australia, and Japan. He has composed a number of commissioned works for groups throughout the country, including the University of Arkansas Wind Ensemble, Arkansas All-State Band, the North Hills Symphony Band (Pittsburgh, PA), and the United States Air Force Band of Mid-America.