Biography:

Before his retirement in 2001, Mr. Richard Martin taught beginning and intermediate piano lab, beginning and advanced MIDI lab, beginning Audio Lab, Internet web design, and served as Chairman of the Fine Arts and World Languages Department. Mr. Martin earned his BA degree in religion and philosophy with a minor in music from High Point University. He is a graduate of the Naval School of Music, now The Armed Forces Music School in Little Creek, Virginia. Mr. Martin is an army veteran, and served with the 80th Army Band in Fort Stewart, Ga., during the crisis with Cuba in 1961-62.

Mr. Martin holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in music composition from the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, and he has done graduate studies in music composition and orchestration at Boston University under composer Ulysses Kay.

He is the composer of many symphonies, (two of which were performed by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Jack Jarrett, now head of the composition department of the Berklee School of Music in Boston), band works, musicals, and popular music media.In 1968 Mr. Martin composed a musical for the students of Bassett High School,"The Guru of Bulloo-U", which premiered at the School by both Bassett Students and Students from Ferrum College, Ferrum, Va., under the direction of Mr. Robert Chambers, drama coach and vocal music teacher at Bassett.

In 1973, after his move to Richmond, he composed and premiered another musical (for middle school students) at East End Middle School, "Monsters on Chimborazo" which was directed by a very young James Bynum. now a distinguished actor and head of RPS public relations. In 1974 Mr. Martin revised and enlarged his 1968 musical "The Guru of Bulloo-U" which was then performed at John Marshall High School, directed by Marie Goodman Hunter, and under the musical direction of Thomas Shaw.

The Musical has been performed twice since then: Once at Northern Nash High School, in Nashville, NC, and again at George Wythe High School in 1982, under the dramatic direction of Beth Wentworth, and the musical direction of Nelson Lawson, now Richmond City Public School's Instructional Specialist of Music.

In addition to professional memberships in the Richmond Education Association, the Virginia Education Association, and the National Education Association, Mr. Martin is a member of Music Educators National Conference and International Multimedia Association.

Mr. Martin has had a distinguished career as a high school band director, beginning in 1966 at Bassett High School in Bassett, Virginia. In 1972, he became band director at John Marshall High School in Richmond and served in that position until 1976. Mr. Martin then became band director at Northern Nash High School in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. In 1979, he returned to Richmond to become band director at George Wythe High School. He served in that position until 1990 when he became composition and electronic music teacher at the new George Wythe High School for the Arts. He also served as Music Director for the All Souls Presbyterian Church in Richmond for twelve years beginning in 1980.

Mr. Martin has had a distinguished professional performance career as pianist in many bands, clubs, and country clubs. From 1968-1973 he was pianist with the Burt Massengale Orchestra which performed throughout the Southern United States, and with the Woody Pittman Orchestra (1973-1982). He performed throughout the city of Richmond for many years in establishments such as Richmond's 'The Black Horse Cellar', 'Stanley Steigmeyer's', 'Charlie's Pub', 'The Epicurean', and 'O'Toole's Restaurant'.

Since 1990, Mr. Martin has been heavily involved in Web site design, composition of electronic music for the Internet, music recording techniques, and training students for the 21st century realities of electronic media, focusing on music. He currently maintains a Web site feauturing his compositions, Web music production, music education, promotion of school web pages, promotional web pages for contemporary musicians and artists, and Internet promotions. His company is MMMM Music.