Nathan Dame

Dr Nathan Dame is Coordinator of Fine Arts and Director of Choral Activities at Wylie East High School in Wylie, Texas.  He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Kansas, a Master of Arts in Music Education from Texas Woman’s University and a Ph.D. with honours in Music Education with an Emphasis in Choral Pedagogy and a minor in Leadership and Administration from the University of Kansas.  Dr Dame is a passionate conductor-teacher with experiences leading students of all ages and ability levels, from elementary through college. He has served as a choral music educator in the Texas public schools and on the music education faculty of the University of Kansas, where he taught choral conducting, rehearsal techniques, choral methods, supervised student teachers, and conducted the Men’s Glee Club, Youth Chorus, and Rock Chalk Singers.  

At Wylie East, Dr Dame conducts the A Cappella Choir, Varsity Tenor-Bass Choir, Select Tenor-Bass Choir, Concert Tenor-Bass Choir, the school’s popular music ensemble, Out of the Blue, and oversees a program of over 300 singers enrolled in ten performing ensembles.  Choirs under his direction consistently earn superior ratings at regional and state contests and have grown in enrolment to become some of the largest choral programs in the area. During his career, he has received numerous grants for arts advocacy initiatives and has been honoured to receive Excellence in Teaching awards from area school districts. He was recently named to the 2022 Yamaha Class of Top 40 Under 40 Music Educators in the country.

Dr Dame enjoys an active career as clinician/conductor, author, and adjudicator both nationally and internationally.  He has presented at the International Voice Foundation Symposium, national, divisional, and state conventions of ACDA, the NAfME national conference, and the Texas and Kansas MEA clinic-conventions.  He is published through the Choral Journal, ChoralNet, Southwestern Musician, Texas Music Education Research, and RBC Publications.

Dr Dame currently holds a six-year term as ACDA National Repertoire & Resources Chair for Senior High Choirs and also serves as TMEA Region 25 Vocal Treasurer.  Past appointments have included ACDA National Chair for MS/JH Choirs, TMEA Region 25 Vocal Chair, Region 2 MS/JH Vocal Chair, State Collegiate President of KMEA, and two-time district coordinator of vocal/choral music.  His research interests include adolescent choral music education, single-sex choirs, male singer recruitment and retention, choral program management, student leadership, and team dynamics within music ensembles.