Paula Crider

Following a distinguished 33 year teaching career, Paula Crider retired from The University of Texas in 1999 with the title of Professor Emeritus. Crider is not a Texas native, but as the saying goes, she got here "as soon as she could"!

Born in Miami, Florida, Crider was raised in Tennessee and Mississippi, and it wasn't until her junior year in high school that she was lured by the magic of the trumpet and joined the band. A President's List Scholar, she graduated with degrees in Music and English Literature from the University of Southern Mississippi. Crider began her teaching career in Mississippi, and then moved to Austin to begin graduate study at The University of Texas, concurrently teaching band and general music at Allen Jr. High School. Completing her Master's degree in Music Education in 1970, she was named the Director of Bands at Crockett High School in Austin, Texas-the first female in the state of Texas to serve as Director of Bands at a class 5A high school.

In 1982 Crider joined the faculty of The University of Texas as Assistant Director of The Longhorn Bands, and in 1995 she was named Director of Longhorn Bands until retirement. Other awards and honors include two "Eyes of Texas" awards for excellence at UT, the Tau Beta Sigma / Kappa Kappa Psi Outstanding Service to Music Award, the Sudler Legion of Merit and the TBA Lifetime Achievement Award. She is Immediate Past President of the NBA, serves on the Board of Directors of the ABA, and was a charter member of the TMAA. Ms. Crider is a proud member of Phi Beta Mu, TBA, and TMEA. She was the 2004 TBA Bandmaster of the Year.