Richard Gipson

Richard Gipson served on the faculty of the University of Oklahoma School of Music from 1976 to 2002, holding the rank of Regents Professor of Percussion. During his time there, he also took on several key administrative roles, including Director of the School of Music, Executive Assistant to the President, and Interim Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs.

In 2002, he moved to Texas Christian University (TCU), where he led as Director and Professor of Music in the School of Music until 2018. Following that, he became Dean of the College of Fine Arts, a position he held until his retirement in 2022.

Under Gipson's leadership, the OU Percussion Department gained nationwide acclaim for its pedagogy, performances, publishing, and recording efforts. The OU Percussion Orchestra, under his guidance, produced five commercial CDs—making it one of the most recorded university percussion ensembles—and was named Outstanding University Percussion Ensemble by the Percussive Arts Society. The ensemble performed at PAS International Conventions multiple times (1985, 1990, 1994, and 2001) and debuted in New York City's Merkin Hall in 2001.

Gipson has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Lifetime Achievement in Education Award from the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) in 2017, and Music Administrator of the Year by the College Orchestra Directors Association.

As a performer, Gipson served over 30 years as timpanist and percussionist for the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, and also performed with the Oklahoma, Austin, and Corpus Christi symphony orchestras. He holds degrees from the University of Texas (B.M. and M.M.) and earned his Doctorate (Ed.D.) from Penn State University.