Conductor Blair King

Our Conductor and Artistic Director

BLAIR KING joins Musical Feast as an accomplished conductor as well as singer and actor. His love of music began in the preschool choir at First United Methodist Church in Levelland, Texas, and when he showed interest and aptitude his parents enrolled him in piano lessons. He sang in church and school choirs throughout elementary and high school, winning numerous UIL choral, small ensemble and solo awards. A highlight was performing the Duruflé Requiem under the great Paul Salamunovich in the 1990 Texas All-State Choir.

The School of Music at Texas Tech University became Blair's musical home for his college years. There, he sang in the University Choir, studied conducting with Kenneth Davis and Eric Fried, and expanded his keyboard studies with organ, harpsichord, and carillon under Judson Maynard. During this time he became involved in community theatre where he

served as musical director for several productions, most memorably conducting members of the Lubbock Youth Symphony as the pit orchestra for The Man of La Mancha. Singing in church choirs continued to be a favorite activity, and in 1995 another musical highlight was traveling with the 120-voice Chancel Choir of FUMC Lubbock to England for concerts with the Hampshire County Youth Orchestra at the historic Winchester Cathedral, then joining the HCYO on their US Tour for a concert at the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas. In 1996, he graduated from TTU with a BA in Music.

Upon graduation, Blair chose a career path in commercial advertising production and moved to Houston, where he worked for a local advertising agency as a studio production assistant, putting his talents to use in production of audio commercials. He also continued his performance interests by performing with the Fort Bend Chorale and working on several productions at the Country Playhouse, including providing music direction for The King and I.

In 1997, Blair moved to Dallas and began working at the June Shelton School and Evaluation Center, where he serves today as Director of Technology. He was also involved in launching a choral program in Shelton's Middle School. He continues to be involved in theatrical productions, primarily with the Music Theatre of Denton where he has appeared in several productions of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas as well as other musical theatre works. In 1999, he met the girl he would eventually marry, while stage directing Hello, Dolly! and subsequently, they appeared on stage together in The Mikado and Anything Goes (three weeks before their wedding!). More recently, he has returned to his love of musical direction for productions of Trial By Jury, Cox and Box, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Company. In March 2010 he will conduct a full pit orchestra for MTD’s new production of The Pirates of Penzance.

Recent choral activities include singing with the Orpheus Chamber Singers in 2006-07, conducting and singing with Annunciation Chamber Singers, and joining Musical Feast on several occasions as a chorister and soloist. He is extremely grateful and excited for the opportunity to lead Musical Feast and looks forward to many years of excellent music making with the Feast.