MERLYN BEARD + WATERFORD kettering HIGH SCHOOL orchestra

Merlyn Beard has been teaching for twenty-nine years in public and private school, as well as providing lessons for numerous private students. He has taught all levels of music from elementary through high school, and is presently the director of the Waterford Kettering High School orchestra program which includes Chamber, Symphony, and Concert orchestras. His Chamber Orchestra has received frequent “Superior” ratings at MSBOA State festivals and performs regularly around the area. Mr. Beard is the Treasurer for the Michigan Homeschool Music Network, as well as MSBOA District 4. In the 2008 school year, Mr. Beard was chosen MSBOA District 4 Orchestra Teacher of the Year, and MSBOA State Orchestra Teacher of the Year in 2020. Mr. Beard directs the OHMI Symphony Orchestra, who performed at YAC State Orchestra Festival and received a Superior rating this year. Mr. Beard directs the Symphony Orchestra.

Education
Mr. Beard graduated from Oral Roberts University with a Bachelors in Music Education. He received his Masters of Music in Orchestral Conducting from Oakland University. He has done post-graduate study in string music education at University of Michigan and orchestral conducting at Illinois State University. Mr. Beard has studied orchestral conducting with Maestro Kurt Musprat, Dr. Glen Block, Dr. David Daniels and Dr. Gregory Cunningham.

Personal
Mr. Beard has lived most of his life in Oakland County and grew up in Clawson, Michigan.  He presently lives in Oakland County with his wife. Mr. & Mrs. Beard have homeschooled their children for eighteen years, graduating all 3 who have graduated college and grad school after attending OHMI for all of their homeschool years. Mr. Beard likes to read and go traveling in his RV Serenade  in his spare time.