Paris Rutherford

Regents Professor Emeritus

Paris Rutherford, Regents Professor Emeritus in Jazz Studies at the University of North Texas (UNT), was coordinator of vocal jazz studies and director of UNT Jazz Singers I, award-winning vocal jazz ensemble heard on sixteen albums. In addition to his work with the Jazz Singers, he taught courses in instrumental and vocal jazz arranging, jazz composition, and vocal jazz styles.

A sought-after clinician in vocal jazz, Rutherford has over one hundred vocal jazz arrangements in publication by Hal Leonard Music, Sound Music Publishing, UNC Jazz Press, and through Artist Share by Maria Schneider. He was a founding board member in the Jazz Education Network. Rutherford is a member of ASCAP.

In June 2008, Hal Leonard Publications published Rutherford’s book The Vocal Jazz Ensemble, in which he details the entire list of issues involved in directing a jazz choir.

His instrumental compositions and arrangements have been played and recorded by the One O'Clock Band, the Dallas Jazz Orchestra, the Air Force Reserve Jazz Ensemble, the North Texas Clarinet Consort and Adkins String Ensemble, as well as by the Dallas, Richardson and Fort Worth Symphony Orchestras. In earlier years, Rutherford composed and produced advertising music for the Stephen Arnold Group, TM Productions, PAMS, the William B Tanner Corporation, as well as for his own production company in London, England. He is a former trombonist with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

A native of Dallas, Rutherford received Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music in Composition at Southern Methodist University, and formerly taught at the University of Colorado at Denver.

www.parisrutherford.com