Roy Belfield

Associate Professor of Music , Director of Choirs & OrchestraMusic

Roy L. Belfield, Jr., a native of Petersburg, Virginia, began his undergraduate studies in music at Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana. He has done additional studies in vocal pedagogy and choral conducting at the University of Alabama, Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Southern California. Dr. Belfield has studied choral conducting with David Morrow, Rodney Eichenberger, Scott Anderson, and Lynn Drafall, and piano with Marilyn J. Breeden, Buckner Gamby, and Moses Hogan. His principal organ teachers have included Carl G. Harris, Jr., Clarence E. Whiteman, Herman D. Taylor, Joyce F. Johnson, Michael L. Corzine, and John Obetz.

Dr. Belfield has taught students from pre-school to college for twenty-three years. As a church musician, he has served six denominations throughout the country. Belfield has collaborated as an accompanist with numerous choirs, vocalists, and instrumentalists. As composer and arranger, Dr. Belfield has written works for chorus, voice, piano, and organ.

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Research, Scholarship, Creative Work in Progress

The Music of Composers Undine Smith Moore and Phillip Barnette McIntyre.

Publications

Colla Voce, Hal Leonard Corporation, MorningStar Music, GIA Publications, and Wayne Leupold Editions published Belfield’s choral and organ works.

“Joyce F. Johnson: A Legacy to Spelman College, Atlanta, and Beyond.” The American Organist, September 2019, pp. 46-49.

“Carl G. Harris, Jr.: Trailblazer in Choral Music.” The American Organist, December 2014, pp. 50-55.

“Phillip McIntyre: Master Organist and Composer.” The American Organist, June 2006, pp. 88-90.

“The Choral Works of Phillip McIntyre.” Choral Journal. March 2005, pp. 23-29

Exhibits or Performances

Dr. Belfield frequently serves as a choral clinician/adjudicator, lecturer, guest conductor, concert organist, and accompanist across the country. His North American performance and lecture venues have included the Andrew Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C, Carnegie Hall, College of William and Mary, Lincoln Center in New York, Loyola University New Orleans, Morehouse College, National City Christian Church, Old Dominion University, Pennsylvania State University, Spelman College, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, University of Southern California, Vanderbilt University, and Wake Forest University. His European performances as a concert organist and accompanist have taken him to Schorndorf, Germany, and Prague, Czech Republic.

Invited Talks

African American Organ Music, American Guild of Organists, Central MD Chapter, November 2024

African American Spirituals and Gospel Music, Freemason Street Baptist Church, March 2022

The Choral Music Legacy of Undine Smith Moore (virtual), Old Dominion University, August 2020

The Choral Arrangements of Undine Smith Moore, The College of William & Mary, April 2019

African American Spirituals and Gospel Music, Vanderbilt University, February 2019

The Choral Works of Undine Smith Moore, University of Southern California, March 2017

Choral Reading Session, Jackson State University, September 2016

African American Spirituals and Gospel Music, National Hymn Society Conference, July 2015

Academic or Professional Associations

American Choral Directors Association

American Guild of Organists

Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia

Other Professional or Scholarly Activity

Accompanist for Deer Creek Chorale and Youth Choirs

Accompanist for Frederick Chorale