Reginald Adrian McDonald, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, currently serves as Director of Bands, String Orchestra Conductor, Instrumental Music Coordinator and Associate Professor of Music Education at Tennessee State University. Prior to his appointment as Associate Director of Bands/Assistant Professor of Music at Tennessee State University in 2001, Dr. McDonald served as Director of Bands at McNair Middle School in College Park, Georgia from 1991 to 1996 and Director of Bands/Music Department Chairman at Southwest Dekalb High School in Decatur, Georgia from 1996 to 2001.

During his public-school tenure, Dr. McDonald’s middle school and high school bands received ten years of consecutive superior ratings at concert, marching and jazz band state/district evaluations, competitions and festivals.  His bands have performed for prestigious audiences such as the 1999 Atlanta Falcons’ nationally televised NFL-playoff game, President George Bush’s 2001 visit to the Atlanta Fernbank Museum, the 100 Black Men of Atlanta Football Classic, the 2002 Inaugural Honda Collegiate Battle of the Bands, and the 2002 Music Educators National Conference Bi-Annual In-Service.

Under his leadership as Director of Bands, the Tennessee State University Aristocrat of Bands became the first collegiate band in history to earn a GRAMMY® award for their first full-length gospel album, The Urban Hymnal in the category of Roots Gospel. The band was recently televised on CBS Nightly News with Norah O’Donnell to be recognized for this achievement.

In 2018, the band was chosen by mega-star, Keith Urban, to make a surprise performance on his world tour. His direction of the band was acclaimed by the Tennessee Legislature honoring Tennessee State University Aristocrat of Bands on its 75th anniversary for the performance at the 133rd Tournament of Roses Parade, Lakers halftime game, as well as a panel and pep rally at the California African American Museum.

TSU band performs annually for the Tennessee Titans NFL games, and has performed for the 2006 and 2014 HBCU-National Band Directors Consortium, Tennessee Music Educators Association Annual In-Service in 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2018, and first/only HBCU band invited to perform for Bands of America Grand Nationals. More historical performances include, being the first college band in the United States to perform for halftime of the nationally televised NFL Hall of Fame game, and a special invitation to performa at the White House in front of the Oval Office for President Barack Obama in 2016. As associate professor of music, his 2018 wind ensemble was the first HBCU concert band to be selected to perform for the Percy Grainger Wind Band Festival.

Dr. McDonald has been cited as an expert educator by Fulton County Board of Education in Atlanta, Georgia and honored as teacher of the year in 1996 (McNair MS), 2006 (Tennessee State University Department of Music), 2008 (Tennessee State University Department of Music), and 2009 (Tennessee State University College of Arts and Sciences). He has appeared as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. He is a member of Music Educators National Conference, College Band Directors National Association, Tennessee Music Educators Association, Tennessee Bandmasters Association, Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, Inc., Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity, Phi Beta Mu International Schools Bandmasters Fraternity, Conn-Selmer Distinguished Educator, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Golden Key International Honor Society, Kappa Delta Epsilon Honorary Education Fraternity, and Who’s Who in America. As a graduate of Alabama State University, Dr. McDonald also holds a Master of Music in Music Education Degree from the University of West Georgia, and an Educational Specialist degree in School Administration from Clark Atlanta University. Lastly, McDonald earned a Doctorate in Music Education at The University of Alabama.