Craig Fuchs
Inducted in 2023
Craig Fuchs served as University Professor of Music at Pittsburg State University.
During his 24-year tenure at PSU, he served as Director of Bands, Chair of the
Department of Music, Interim Chair of the Department of Art, Director of the
Honors College, and Director of the Bachelor of General Studies Program. Dr.
Fuchs earned degrees in music education from Missouri Western State University
and the University of Missouri-Columbia. He earned a Doctorate of Musical Arts in
Wind Conducting from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of
Music. Dr. Fuchs had ten years of teaching experience in the public schools of
Kansas and Missouri prior to moving to the collegiate level.
In the musical realm, Dr. Fuchs had numerous articles published in The
Instrumentalist magazine. Under his leadership, the PSU Wind Ensemble
performed at the 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2016 KMEA Music Conventions. The PSU
Wind Ensemble was also invited to perform at Lincoln Center in April of 2015. Dr.
Fuchs was in high demand as a conductor/clinician for regional and district honor
bands and maintained an active schedule as an adjudicator in the marching band
arena each fall. Fuchs served from 2017-2022 as the Conductor and Artistic
Director of the Four State Symphonic Winds, an adult band from the four-state
region. This ensemble performed at the 81st Missouri Music Educators
Association Conference in January of 2019.
Dr. Fuchs' international conducting and adjudication experiences took him to
England, France, The Netherlands, Brazil, and Paraguay. Fuchs was a guest
conductor with the Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional de Paraguay in Ascuncion,
Paraguay in 2009, 2010, and 2013. While in Paraguay, he was invited to work with
the Conservatory Band and the National Police Band. In 2013, Fuchs served as the
Festival Orchestra Conductor of the 3rd FADA International Music Festival. In the
spring of 2019 he was invited to conduct a concert with the Banda Sinfonica Policia
Nacional de Paraguay, which is the official band of the National Police of
Paraguay.
In November of 2010, Fuchs traveled to Forteleza, Brazil where he appeared as
guest conductor of the Orquestra de Camara Eleazar de Carvalho, a professional
chamber orchestra in northeast Brazil. In addition, he also conducted two concerts
of the Pindoretama Wind Orchestra, a student orchestra based in Pindoretama,
Brazil. Fuchs made a return trip to Brazil in 2018 where he once again conducted
concerts with the ensemble.
Dr. Fuchs was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award from Missouri Western
State University in October of 2010 and was honored with the Robert K. Ratzlaff
Outstanding Faculty Award in 2001 and 2012 by the Student Government
Association from student nominees of faculty that demonstrate excellence in
instruction and service to students on campus.