Dr. Rufus Jones, Jr. has just returned from a successful three week conducting engagement at the Teatro Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (Florence, Italy-March 2007) where he conducted the international premiere of On The Day You Were Born. This contemporary work was composed by Steven Heitzig and written for narrator, orchestra, film, and dancers.

A product of the Dallas Independent School District (Texas), Dr. Rufus Jones, Jr. graduated with honors from Justin F. Kimball High School. While in high school, Dr. Jones was selected to the McDonald’s All-American High School Marching Band. Out of twelve thousand applicants, he was selected as one of the one hundred and four musicians that toured and performed throughout the United States. He began his formal training as an orchestral conductor at the University of Texas at Austin. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music, Dr. Jones continued his formal training as a Clifford D. Clarke Graduate Fellow at the State University of New York in Binghamton where he received a Master of Music degree in Instrumental Conducting. Dr. Jones completed his formal training at Texas Tech University where he received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Orchestral Conducting. Dr. Jones has conducted youth, university and professional orchestras for nearly 20 years throughout this country and abroad. He has been accepted to prestigious conducting programs like the Tanglewood Music Festival (auditor), and the Conductors Institute in South Carolina (fellow). Dr. Jones has also been invited to participate in several conducting workshops sponsored by the American Symphony Orchestra League. He has studied with internationally recognized conductors like Louis Lane, Gustav Meier, Paul Vermel, Kirk Muspratt, Kirk Trevor, Donald Portnoy, Timothy Perry, Kenneth Kiesler, and Gary Lewis. As a guest conductor Dr. Jones has appeared with the Knoxville Symphony, Utah Symphony, Shreveport Symphony, Siena Chamber Orchestra, Detroit Youth Symphony, Omaha Area Youth Symphony, Binghamton Youth Symphony, Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, the Texas Tech University Symphony, and the DC Youth Orchestra.