Dr. Skip Gray (b. 1955) ranks among the finest performers and professors of the tuba in the world. Dr. Gray currently serves on the faculty of the University of Kentucky as Professor of Tuba and Euphonium, a position he has held since 1980. Gray was born in Cleveland, Ohio and attended Baldwin Wallace College earning a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance degree studying under Ronald Bishop of the Cleveland Orchestra and went on to earn both the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from University of Illinois under Daniel Parentonni. Dr. Gray has been presented three times at the Midwest Clinic and at Carnegie Hall as well as throughout North America, South America, Europe, Australia, and Japan. He hosted the 1992 International Tuba-Euphonium Conference at the University of Kentucky in Lexington.
Dr. Gray has held the appointment of principal tuba of the Lexington Philharmonic since 1980. From 1988-1990, Gray served as principal tuba in the RAI National Symphony Orchestra in Turin, Italy, the state orchestra of Italy with international television and radio broadcasts. From 1999 to 2004, Gray served as principal tubist in the Munich Brass, as brass quintet based in Munich, Germany that toured extensively throughout Europe. He also served as principal tuba in the Cleveland Ballet Orchestra from 1974-1977, beginning his appointment at the age of 19. Dr. Gray has been featured at multiple ITEA conferences over the past 25 years including at those in Lahti, Finland, Sapporo, Japan, Greensboro, North Carolina, and Regina, Saskatchewan. In addition, Gray has been presented with the Cincinnati Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Budapest Symphony, Florida Orchestra, Cleveland Ballet Orchestra, the United States Army Band, and the United States Marine Band. Along with performing, Dr. Gray has a passion for the research of music and music composition. At the 2010 ITEC in Tucson, Arizona, he was awarded the Clifford Bevan Award for his contributions to the research of tuba. Dr. Gray also has composed, transcribed, and arranged thousands of works for tuba, brass enemble, band, and orchestra.
From 1992-1998, Dr. Gray served as Associate Dean of the College of Fine Arts at UK. He has also served as Associate Director of the School of Music. Gray has served in executive advisory capacities at the Midwest Clinic, Bands of America, and Yamaha. Dr. Gray served as President of the International Tuba Euphonium Association from 2001 to 2003, previously serving the organization as corresponding secretary and executive director. Gray is a Lifetime Member of the International Tuba Euphonium Association.
Dr. Gray is well known in schools as a music educator throughout Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, and Washington D.C for his special presentations. In Kentucky, he presents his program "Tubas Around the World: A Musical Journey Across the Continents," exposing students to cultural diversity in music. Dr. Gray is a frequent clinician at Bands of America: Honor Band of America, Grand Nationals, and Summer Symposium and at the Kentucky Music Educators Association Annual In-Service Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. He is in constant demand as a clinician, performer, and adjudicator throughout the United States.
Dr. Gray was a founding member of the Lexington Brass Band and served as its co-conductor from 1992 until 1999 leading the ensemble to local and national prominence with performances at the Midwest Clinic, the International Trumpet Guild Conference, and the Great American Brass Band Festival. Gray also hosted the 1996 North American Brass Band Association competition at the University of Kentucky. He has since returned to perform in the tuba section of the band beginning in the 2007 season. In 1984, Gray served as principal guest conductor of the Solitaire Brass Band in Melbourne, Australia.
In 2004, Gray released a Solo Tuba compact disk with his German pianist Rudolf Ramming entitled "Tuba Europa: A Musical Journey Across the Continent." This CD was a finalist for the Roger Bobo recording award. Rudolf Ramming has been presented with Gray throughout North America and Europe.
Dr. Skip Gray is a Yamaha Performing Artist.