Jerry McCoy, 2013 winner of the Texas Choral Directors Association’s prestigious Choirmaster Award, is Director of Choral Studies and Regents Professor of Music at the University of North Texas, where he conducts the A Cappella Choir and Grand Chorus, teaches graduate conducting and choral techniques, and guides the choral studies program. He serves as national chair of the Past-President’s Advisory Council and on the Executive Committee of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). He is also: a member of the INTERKULTUR international advisory board and the advisory boards of Choro in Schola (Portland Oregon) and the Young New Yorkers Chorus (New York City), Music Director of Schola Cantorum of Texas, and Choirmaster for University Christian Church of Fort Worth.

He has served as guest conductor/clinician in thirty-eight US states, in addition to serving in guest roles in Austria, China, Cuba, Great Britain, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, and Venezuela.  Dr. McCoy’s choirs have sung refereed performances on the programs of four national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association (1997, 1999, 2005, 2013).  His choirs have also sung refereed performances for the national conferences of the Association of British Choral Directors (2000), the Music Educators National Conference (1992), the National Collegiate Choral Organization (2008), and the Organization of American Kodaly Educators (1983). In addition, his choirs have given concerts and interest sessions for the Southwestern Division of ACDA (seven times since 1988), the Texas Choral Directors Association (2004 and 2011), and the Texas Music Educators Association (2004 and 2010). Guest engagements for 2013-2015 include appearances in Croatia, South Korea, Arkansas, California, Massachusetts, Washington, and Texas.

Under his leadership, the UNT A Cappella Choir was featured on the programs of the 9th Taipei (Taiwan) International Choral Festival (2009) and the 2nd Daejeon (Korea) International Choral Festival (2012). In 2011 he served as headliner for the Korean Federation for Choral Music national conference in Gyeongju, South Korea.

Since Dr. McCoy’s arrival at UNT in 2000, alumni of the UNT graduate choral conducting program have earned positions in twenty-eight colleges and universities across the USA, South Korea, and Mexico.  His students have founded seven professional chamber choirs in the USA. Six other of his students lead fully professional choirs in South Korea.

Dr. McCoy sang and recorded with the Robert Shaw Festival Singers in New York City and throughout southern France, and with the Banff (Canada) Festival Chamber Choir led by distinguished Swedish conductor Eric Ericson.  Prior to joining the faculty at UNT, he served as Director of Choral Activities at Oklahoma State University (1984-1994, 1995-2000), the University of Arizona (1994-1995), and Nicholls State University (1982-1984). His commercial recordings include releases by Klavier Records and GIA Music Publications.