Assistant Professor
D.M.A., Arizona State University
Office: 815-753-7978
E-mail: tbough@niu.edu
Dr. Thomas Bough joined the faculty of Northern Illinois University in the fall of 2005 as the Director of Athletic Bands. He also conducts the Wind Symphony and teaches courses within the music education curriculum. Dr. Bough holds MM and DMA degrees in Tuba Performance from Arizona State University, where he was a student of Sam Pilafian and Dan Perantoni. He holds the degree Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Southwest Missouri State University, where he was active in both vocal and instrumental music. From 1999 - 2005 Bough served as the Assistant Director of Bands and Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois, and from 1992-1999 as the Band Director at Westwood High School in Mesa, Arizona.
Dr. Bough’s diverse performance background includes brass bands, orchestras, chamber music, jazz bands, Dixieland, the Disney World All American College Band and the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps. He is a Yamaha Sponsored Artist, and performs on the Yamaha 822 CC tuba and Yamaha 822 F tuba. Bough is a frequent contributor to the Instrumentalist magazine and has contributed articles to three volumes of the Teaching Music Through Performance series.
Dr. Bough is an active conductor, clinician, arranger and adjudicator for both concert bands and marching bands. He has presented workshops at the Illinois, Arizona, and Missouri Music Educators State Conventions, as well as MENC multi-state regional conventions in Lincoln, Nebraska, and Portland, Oregeon. Much of his recent travel has focused on presenting his new method book called The Band Boot Camp to bands across the West and Midwest.