Title: Music Educator
Location: Sahuarita, Arizona, United States
Ronald Lyford, Retired Music Educator, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in the field of music education.
Sharing his own vast knowledge of music with others, Mr. Lyford has been a music educator throughout the course of his career, specializing in teaching fourth, fifth and sixth graders. Encouraged by his parents as well as his high school band teacher, Mr. Lyford won the Arion Award from the Battle Ground School District, furthering his passion for music. He earned an Associate of Arts from Clark College in 1965, a Bachelor of Arts in education in 1967 and a Master of Music Education in 1973, both from Central Washington State College. He has earned the Washington State Teaching Certificate, the Arizona State Teaching Certificate and is certified by Right at Home: Home Care, where he spent time caring for others. Recognized for his contributions to music education, Mr. Lyford has been affiliated with the National Education Association, the American String Teachers Association, and the Arizona Music Educators Association.
Mr. Lyford has shared his talents by playing the baritone horn to accompany the The Sycamore Baptist Church’s Worship Leader since 2017 and in 2018, the organization asked him to serve as a substitute teacher for the Adult Sunday School Classes. In addition to responsibilities related to his faith, he has held numerous positions, most recently working as a home health care assistant for the Right at Home Health Care Services since 2015. Prior to this role, he has served as a music teacher for Nogales School District in Arizona from 2004 to 2006. He has been a music teacher for the Battle Ground School District of Washington, Cornelias Lutheran School in Oregon, Oak Tree School in Oregon, the Vancouver School District in Washington and the Thorp School District in Washington. In addition to these roles, Mr. Lyford has been a teacher for both the flute seminar of the Sahuarita School District of Arizona in 2008 and the Woodwind Seminar in Gallup, NM, in 2007. He has worked as the director of the Nogales Elementary Honor Band Air and Space Academy from 2012 to 2013 and with the Nogales School District from 2005 to 2006. Mr. Lyford has also been a music festival judge in Arizona from 2004 to 2006, a teacher of the brass seminar in Germany from 1979 to 1980 a musician with the Brass Octet in Germany from 1979 to 1980.
Mr. Lyford had been inspired by both his parents, Lowell Horace Lyford and Betty Louise Hufty. His father had been a music teacher, then becoming a principal of the school where he worked. His mother played the cornet for the United Service Organizations during WWII while his dad played the piccolo and the flute. His parents asked Mr. Lyford what instrument he wanted to play and he decided to play brass instruments, doing so for several years before switching to the baritone horn. He has had fantastic music teachers in college and high school as well as a wonderful private music teacher in college. Mr. Lyford feels immense pride in his profession, celebrating his students’ musical abilities. Several of his students have become professional musicians, thanking Mr. Lyford for his dedication to their studies and considering him instrumental in their success. In addition to teaching music, his hobbies include woodcarving, instrument repairing, furniture refinishing and repairing brass musical instruments. In recognition of his notoriety, Mr. Lyford has been lauded with The Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award.
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