About Charles L. Booker

Charles L. Booker, Jr., is Associate Professor and Director of Bands at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. He is a composer, and a former U.S. Army Bandmaster receiving his degrees from the University of the State of New York, and the University of Texas at San Antonio. He later completed courses for Texas teacher certification in secondary music from Texas State University.

His compositions are published by Alfred, Kendor, Booker Music Publications and Southern Music Company, and have been performed internationally by many high schools, universities and professional bands to include The Army Band ("Pershing's Own"), the U.S. Army Field Band, the U.S. Military Academy Band (West Point), the U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America and the U.S. Air Force Academy Band. His music was featured at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, Illinois in 2002.

Mr. Booker is a product of the Texas Band program having studied in high school under Al Sturchio and Dan Schreiber. He studied composition with Hank Levy (composer / arranger for Stan Kenton), Dr. Steve Strunk and Dr. James Balentine and conducting with Dr. Robert Garofalo and Dr. Robert Rustowicz. Mr. Booker continued his conducting studies at the Conductors Collegiums 2001 and 2002 at the University of North Texas, studying with Dennis Fisher and Eugene Corporon.

Mr. Booker's career in the U.S. Army included service in the Fifth Army Band in San Antonio, Texas, as a staff arranger for the Army Field Band, performer and conductor of Army Bands in Louisiana, Germany, New York City, and director of the Jazz Ambassadors in Washington, D.C. As a trumpeter with the Fifth Army Band, Mr. Booker performed for the funerals of Presidents Truman and Johnson. In 1981, as the conductor of the 3rd Armored Division Band in Germany, Mr. Booker conducted welcoming ceremonies at Rhein Main Air Force Base for the returning American hostages from Iran. In New York City, he conducted the Army Band of New York City at ceremonies for head of states of t he United States, Germany, France, Netherlands, Portugal and China, and his band performed at the centennial activities of the Statue of Liberty. While as an associate conductor of the Army Field Band, Mr. Booker performed in the inauguration parades of Presidents George H. W. Bush and William J. Clinton.

Mr. Booker was Interim Director of Bands at Trinity University from 1996 to 1997 and assistant editor at Southern Music Company from 1994 to 1997. In 1998 Mr. Booker was appointed Director of Jazz Studies at Westark College and in 1999, he was appointed Director of Band Activities at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. In 2002, he was appointed "Lead Faculty" and was Chair of the Music Department from 2004 to 2006. Mr. Booker is a past president of the Arkansas Chapter of College Band Directors National Association, past president of the Arkansas Chapter of the International Association of Jazz Educators, a member of the National Band Association, Texas Bandmaster Association and he was recently appointed to the executive board of the Arkansas Bandmaster Association. Mr. Booker is also a member of the Arkansas Chapter of Phi Beta Mu, band fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi, and honorary music fraternity Pi Kappa Lambda. He is the founder and conductor of the River Valley Community Band of Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Mr. Booker is married to his wife of 36 years Claudette M. [DeRocher] of San Antonio, Texas. They have three children: Captain Erik Booker, U.S. Army, currently serving in Iraq; Adam Booker, senior music student (double bass) at Texas State University, and Colleen Booker, PhD. candidate and English instructor at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. Mr. Booker and Claudette have five grandsons, Alex, Brennan, Colton, Devin, and Ronald.