Education
- Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting, University of Michigan, 2010
- Master of Arts in Conducting, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2004
- Bachelor of Science in Music Education, Duquesne University, 1999
Donald J. McKinney is professor of music in bands, director of bands, and chair of the Bands Department at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
He was previously director of bands, professor of conducting, and chair of the conducting area at the University of Colorado Boulder College of Music. Prior to his 2013 appointment at CU Boulder, he was the director of wind ensembles and associate professor at Louisiana State University (LSU).
McKinney has held additional faculty positions at Interlochen Arts Academy and Duquesne University Mary Pappert School of Music. From 2010 to 2015, he was the coordinator of bands for the renowned Interlochen Arts Camp, where he conducted the World Youth Wind Symphony and administered the summer band program.
As a guest conductor, he has appeared with the Dallas Winds, Concordia Santa Fe, Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, Greater Boulder Youth Orchestra, and numerous honor ensembles. He has also conducted concerts and clinics in Costa Rica and Canada. His performances with the Dallas Winds have been featured on National Public Radio’s Performance Today on numerous occasions.
As a teacher of conducting, he has presented conducting master classes at East Carolina University, Austin Peay State University, Pacific Lutheran University, University of Central Florida, Eastern Washington University, University of Central Missouri, West Chester University, and UCLA. His recording credits include projects with the Dallas Winds, University of Michigan Symphony Band, University of Texas Wind Ensemble, University of North Texas Wind Symphony, Keystone Wind Ensemble, and the Duquesne University Wind Symphony. He was nominated for a 2019 Grammy Award for producing the Dallas Winds recording John Williams at the Movies.
In 2017, McKinney was featured in TheInstrumentalist, a prominent journal for instrumental music educators. He has published articles in numerous conducting resources, including five volumes of Teaching Music through Performance in Band and, most recently, The Conductor’s Companion, published by Meredith Music. He has also authored a chapter about Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Jennifer Higdon for the book Women of Influence in Contemporary Music, published by Scarecrow Press.
After participating in the Second Frederick Fennell Conducting Master Class, he was named a finalist for the Thelma A. Robinson Award by the Conductors Guild. He has been nominated for an LSU Alumni Association Faculty Excellence Award and is an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi and Phi Beta Mu. In 2023, he became president-elect of the Southwestern Division of College Band Directors National Association.
McKinney holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting degree from the University of Michigan. His primary conducting teachers include Michael Haithcock, Jack Stamp, and Robert Cameron as well as additional study with H. Robert Reynolds and Frank Battisti.