Chad Shoopman

Professor Shoopman joined the faculty at the University of Arizona School of Music as the Associate Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands in the summer of 2016. His duties include conducting the Wind Symphony, directing “The Pride of Arizona” Marching and Pep Bands, as well as teaching leadership and marching band techniques courses.  A proud alumni, Professor Shoopman earned both his Bachelor’s in Music Education (’96) and Master’s in Conducting Performance (’99) at the University of Arizona. While at the U of A, he studied conducting with Gregg I. Hanson. He continued studying choral and orchestral conducting with   Dr. John Sinclair at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida.

Prior to his appointment at the University of Arizona, Professor Shoopman was a Distinguished Adjunct Faculty member at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida where he taught Film Music History, trumpet, and conducting. He worked for the Walt Disney World Company conducting and performing on countless multi-million dollar studio projects for Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Disney Cruise Lines. He also worked as a conductor, performer, arranger, and choreographer for live shows seen by millions of guests throughout Walt Disney World including FutureCorps, the Tomorrowland Countdown, the Main Street Philharmonic, and Disney’s Candlelight Processional. As the most requested clinician for Disney Performing Arts (formerly Magic Music Days), Professor Shoopman was honored to lead thousands of educational workshops for middle school, high school, and college bands and orchestras from all over the world.

In 2010, Professor Shoopman was appointed Music Director and Conductor of the Brass Band of Central Florida. Under his baton, the BBCF won a national championship, recorded 3 albums, and earned the ranking of 13th best brass band in the world; the highest placement any band outside of Great Britain has ever achieved! He was known for innovative show designs and arrangements that appealed to a wide range of audiences while still maintaining artistic integrity in the ever growing American brass band movement.

Professor Shoopman has enjoyed numerous guest-conducting, adjudication, and clinic appointments in the United States, Canada, Japan, Great Britain, Germany, France, and Australia.

He is an active orchestral conductor appearing with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, the Florida Symphony Orchestra, and the Florida Lakes Symphony Orchestra.

Professor Shoopman has conducted various musical theater productions including “Shrek The Musical”, and is recognized for being equally comfortable conducting a wide variety of musical styles and ensembles.

He appears regularly as lead trumpet for Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, Arturo Sandoval’s L.A. All-Star Big Band, Chuck Owen and the Jazz Surge, and the hr- Big Band in Frankfurt, Germany, as well as symphony orchestras throughout the United States.