Biography

Dr. John A. Duff is Professor of Music and served as the Director of the School of Music at the University of Florida from 2002 until 2015.  Prior to coming to Florida in 2002, he was Director of the School of Music at Southwest Texas State University, now known as Texas State University in San Marcos.  During the 1990’s, Dr. Duff chaired the Department of Music and was professor of trombone studies at Western Kentucky University.  From 1980 through 1991, he lived in Fairbanks , Alaska, where he taught at the University of Alaska.

Originally from the Northwest, Dr. Duff received his baccalaureate degrees from the University of Washington where he studied conducting with Vilem Sokol and William D. Cole, and trombone performance with Stuart Dempster.  After five years of teaching music in the public schools in Yakima, Washington, during the 1970’s, he left for Michigan State University where he studied conducting with Stanley DeRusha, trombone with Curtis Olson, and music education with Robert Erbes and Robert Sidnell, earning his Master of Music and Ph.D. degrees.

As a teacher and conductor since 1973, Dr. Duff has worked with musicians from junior high through professional levels in the areas of band and orchestra.  He has conducted nationally and internationally. 

Dr. Duff’s research interests include the life and music of Czech-American composer, Karel Husa, and  Celtic music, including the “classical” music of the Scottish Highland Bagpipe.  He and his wife live in Gainesville and have two children and two grandchildren