Dr. Richard Kravchak is the founding Director of the School of Music and Theatre at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. He has been heard as an oboe soloist, chamber and orchestral musician around the world, performing concerts throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Kravchak has appeared as a soloist with ensembles as diverse as The Dubuque Symphony, The University of Hawaii Wind Ensemble, The Carson Symphony, Banda Espinia de Portugal and the Orquesta Symphonica de El Salvador. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald has written “Kravchak’s playing revealed a real beauty of tone, not monolithic, but always changing in color and intensity. He makes even the most difficult lines seem almost effortless.” The Florida Flambeau raves “Kravchak made a good case for his virtuosity.” Dr. Kravchak has been invited to present solo performances at conferences and festivals including The International Double Reed Society, The North American Saxophone Alliance, Festival Forfest, the International Clarinet Society, and many others. He holds performance degrees from the Eastman School of Music, the Juilliard School, and Florida State University. Richard Kravchak served as Professor of Music at California State University, Dominguez Hills, where he was the Chairman of the Music Department. His duties also included directing the Music Education program and serving as a studio woodwind instructor.
Previous to his appointment at Marshall University, Dr. Kravchak was the Chairman of the Music Department at California State University, Dominguez Hills, in the Los Angeles, California metropolitan area. There his duties also included directing the Music Education program and serving as a studio woodwind instructor. Concurrent to his work at CSUDH he served on the conducting faculty of the Valley Youth Orchestras, as well as serving an elementary music instructor for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Dr. Kravchak’s teaching has been widely recognized by his colleagues. Kravchak was the first California teacher to receive National Board Certification in music education. He has also received a Platinum Apple Award from the United Teachers of Los Angeles, a Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year award from the Los Angeles County Office of Education, and has been a finalist for a Bravo Award, granted by the Music Center of Los Angeles. Dr. Kravchak received the Dunsay award from the Music Center, as the Bravo Award Finalist who “did the most with the fewest resources”.