Program Bio
Grace Baugher Dunlap (b. 1995) is a Kansas-born composer, horn player, and music educator whose work centers on lyricism, emotional honesty, and accessibility within the wind band medium. Her music has been performed internationally and featured at major conferences and festivals, including The Midwest Clinic and the College Band Directors National Association Southwestern Division Conference.
Grace holds a Master of Music in Composition and a Graduate Certificate in Music Theory Pedagogy from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a Bachelor of Music in Composition and Horn Performance from Kansas State University. She will be pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Wind Band Conducting at the University of Kansas beginning in the fall of 2026. An active educator and clinician, she teaches a private brass studio and frequently appears as a guest composer and clinician. She resides in Kansas City with her husband, Max, her cats Elsa and Willett, and her many, many plants.
About me
Grace Baugher Dunlap (b. 1995) is a Kansas-born composer, horn player, and music educator whose work centers on lyricism, emotional honesty, and accessibility within the wind band medium. Her music is widely recognized for its memorable melodies and its ability to highlight the emotional aspects of the human experience.
Grace’s works have been performed internationally and featured at major conferences and festivals, including The Midwest Clinic and the College Band Directors National Association Southwestern Division Conference. Her music has appeared at state and regional music education conferences across the United States and has been performed in Canada, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Thailand, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.
Grace holds a Master of Music in Composition and a Graduate Certificate in Music Theory Pedagogy from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where her thesis explored the band grading system through an original multi-level work for concert band. She earned a Bachelor of Music in Composition and Horn Performance, along with a Graduate Certificate in Music Education, from Kansas State University. She will be pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Wind Band Conducting at the University of Kansas beginning in the fall of 2026.
An active educator and clinician, Grace has served as a guest composer, conductor, and presenter at universities, festivals, and secondary schools throughout the country. Her presentations frequently explore topics such as mental health and creativity, composer/conductor collaboration, and practical insights for young composers and educators. She maintains a private brass studio where she teaches trumpet, horn, trombone, and euphonium, with additional instruction in piano. Students from her studio regularly earn placements in district and state honor ensembles, as well as the NAfME All-National Honor Band.
Grace is also an active performer on horn, appearing with ensembles throughout the Kansas City area including the Crossroads Wind Symphony and Kansas City Horn Club. She resides in Kansas City with her husband, Max, her cats Elsa and Willett, and her many, many plants.
