Blair King is the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor for the Arts District Chorale (ADC). Now in his third year in this role, he first joined ADC as a tenor in 2015. King is also the Choir Director and Vocal Music Instructor at Shelton School in Dallas, where he has served for the past 27 years. He played an integral role in developing plans for Shelton’s new Moody Fine Arts Center, along with expanding the school’s choral program.
King graduated from the Texas Tech University (TTU) School of Music, and has had a multitude of opportunities to study with many well-known choral and orchestral conductors including Ken Davis, Paul Salomunovich, and the Tony Award-winning Ted Sperling, to name a few. He has also studied vocal pedagogy with respected teachers from across the nation, including Stephen Austin, Ian Howell, and Ken Bozeman.
He has worked extensively in local musical theater as both musical director and vocal coach. Highlights include Matilda the Musical at the Firehouse Theatre, and Company and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at Theatre Denton. At Shelton School, he has directed the music for many productions including Bye Bye Birdie,The Sound of Music, Shrek the Musical, Hello Dolly! and many more. This past summer, he worked with ADC partner organization ArtsVision Dallas as musical director for its production of Into the Woods Jr.
King is a member of American Choral Directors’ Association (ACDA), Texas Choral Directors’ Association (TCDA), Texas Music Educators’ Association (TMEA), Texas Private School Music Educators’ Association (TPSMEA), represents the Shelton School in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) Fine Arts Division, and represents Arts District Chorale in Chorus America.
Mr. King and his fiancée Emily were married in a quiet beach ceremony on St. Croix Island this summer. He is the proud father of son Nate, a college freshman, and step-father to Cael (11) and Alena (7).
“It is a great honor to be asked to lead ADC. This ensemble has a tradition and expectation of performing at a professional level, and I’m looking forward to making great music with these terrific singers..”
Clinton Bray serves as the Collaborative Pianist for rehearsals and performances of the Arts District Chorale and assists with directing the ensemble in the conductor’s absence. He is the Organist and Associate Minister of Worship at University Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, a post he has held since 2014.
Mr. Bray earned a Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance and Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of North Texas. He works regularly with various area schools and ensembles as a singer and accompanist, and collaborates with the Inversion Ensemble (Austin, TX) as an In-House Composer.
