Brian K. Shepard: Biography

In 7th grade, that snare drum was almost as big as me! (I got bigger)

r. Brian K. Shepard is Provost and Chief Academic Officer of Cogswell College in San Jose, California where he oversees all aspects of the college’s academic programs, registration, student and career services, institutional research and effectiveness, communications, strategic alliances and community outreach, and serves as the accreditation liaison with the WASC Senior College and University Commission. Prior to his position at Cogswell, he was the Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs and a Professor of Audio Design Practice in the University of Southern California’s Iovine and Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation for four years. In that role, he oversaw curricular design and development for the program, and taught the integration of sound and audio into design and technology. Previous appointments include teaching and administrative positions in the USC Thornton School of Music, the Texas Christian University School of Music, the University of Oklahoma School of Musica, and the Oklahoma Christian University Music Department.

For more than twenty years, Brian’s research focused on the technological skills and tools necessary to prepare students for life as twenty-first century musicians. In 1999, he conducted the very first demonstration of a private music lesson using uncompressed audio and video over Internet2. For his research in this area, he has twice been honored by Internet2 with their IDEA Award. In 2009, he released ECHODamp, the only audio mixing and echo-control software application specifically designed for musical videoconferences. His book Refining Sound: A Practical Guide to Synthesis and Synthesizers is published by Oxford University Press.

OKC Philharmonic Percussion Section with Evelyn Glennie

Dame Evelyn Glennie with the OKC Philharmonic Percussion Section (Roger Owens, David Steffens, and me) after we performed Joseph Schwantner's Percussion Concerto

As a composer of both acoustic and electronic art music, Shepard’s works have been performed by professional and university ensembles, orchestras, and soloists across the country. A recording of his work for microtonal piano, All the Pretty Colours of the Rainbow was released by acclaimed LA-based pianist and electro-acoustic musical artist Aron Kallay on MicroFest Records. In addition to his classical compositions, Dr. Shepard is the arranger and orchestrator for renowned ukulele virtuoso, Jake Shimabukuro. For nearly thirty years, he was also an active performer as a professional orchestral percussionist including thirteen years as Principal Percussion of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic.

Dr. Shepard earned his Bachelor's degree in Percussion Performance from the University of Kansas, his Master's in Conducting from the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), and his Doctorate in Music Composition from the University of Oklahoma.

Born into a U.S. Army family at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, Brian had a rather nomadic upbringing, living in Kentucky, Texas, Germany, Indiana, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, Virginia, Kansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma. He now resides in San Jose, California with his wife Jenny and their dog SuzyQ.

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