Deen Entsminger has been a music educator for 36 years. He began his journey in
1972 when he became the choral director at Douglas Freeman High School in Richmond, Virginia
after receiving his undergraduate degree in music education from Shenandoah Conservatory of
Music. He enjoyed that position for ten years during which time he earned a graduate degree in
composition from Virginia Commonwealth University. He left the high school in 1982 to pursue
further education. After earning his Ph.D. in Music Education from the Florida State
University, he was invited to join the faculty at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee in
1988.
Dr. Entsminger coordinates the undergraduate music education program, directs the
chamber singers, teaches music theory, private composition, secondary choral methods,
undergraduate and graduate classes in choral conducting, and mentors students in the
undergraduate honors and graduate music education program. He has many published compositions
with Colla Voce and the Musical Source Publishing. The 2006 All-Virginia Chorus premiered his
composition, "Of Music's Voice" dedicated to the memory of Jim Miller. He has been a guest
conductor for many festivals in Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, South
Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Virginia. For the past fourteen summers he has served
as choral director for the Shenandoah Performing Arts camp at his Alma Mater in Winchester,
Virginia. He is a visiting Professor at Shenandoah University, teaching advanced conducting
for students in the Master's and Doctoral programs. In October of 2002 he was chosen by the
faculty at Shenandoah Conservatory to receive the Alumnus of Excellence Award, celebrating his
contribution to the fields of conducting, composition, and music education. In 1994, he was
chosen by his colleagues and students at Belmont University to receive the Chaney Distinguished
Professor Award, the University's highest commendation, which recognizes outstanding teaching
and service to the University and community. He is a member of Music Educator's National
Conference and a life member of the American Choral Director's Association. Dr. Entsminger's
wife, Dawn is the health and dance instructor at Francis Thurman Arts Magnet School. They
enjoy the company of their marvelous daughter, Leigh Heather, who is a sophomore at Belmont
University. |
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