Chris Dickey, D.M.

Dr. Chris Dickey (they/them) is Professor of Music and Chair of the Department of Music at the University of Texas at El Paso. An experienced academic leader, educator, and internationally recognized performing artist, Dr. Dickey is committed to fostering excellence in teaching, performance, scholarship, and community engagement while preparing students for successful and meaningful careers in the arts.

As department chair, Dr. Dickey provides leadership for academic programs, faculty development, student success initiatives, and strategic planning within the Department of Music. Their work emphasizes collaboration, innovation, inclusive excellence, and community partnerships that strengthen the role of music and the arts both within the university and throughout the region.

Prior to joining UTEP, Dr. Dickey served on the music faculty at Washington State University from 2011 to 2026, where they held several leadership positions, including Graduate Program Coordinator and Director of the David G. Pollart Center for Arts and Humanities. With the Pollart Center, they provided strategic leadership and administrative oversight for interdisciplinary arts and humanities initiatives, managed budgets and funding programs, coordinated public events and partnerships, and supported research and creative activity across the university. Their work expanded opportunities for collaboration among faculty, students, and community stakeholders while advancing the Pollart Center's mission and institutional priorities.

A dedicated educator and mentor, Dr. Dickey is recognized for cultivating student achievement through a holistic approach to teaching and advising. Their students have earned honors through the International Tuba-Euphonium Association, Music Teachers National Association, and the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Festival. Former students perform in military bands and professional ensembles, teach in public schools and universities, and have pursued advanced degrees at institutions across the United States.

Alongside their administrative and educational leadership, Dr. Dickey maintains an active international career as a performer, clinician, composer, and speaker. Praised for their "smooth tone and melodic flexibility" by The Seattle Times and their "delicate and expressive musicality" by the International Tuba-Euphonium Association Journal, they have appeared as a guest artist throughout the United States, South America, Europe, and Asia. To date, Dr. Dickey has released eleven albums on leading record labels.

An advocate for artistic innovation and collaboration, Dr. Dickey is a member of the internationally acclaimed Mirari Brass Quintet and performs with the In Motus Tuba Quartet and Anonim Trio. They are also a Miraphone Performing Artist and serve on the faculty of the Red Lodge Music Festival. Through performances, master classes, and presentations, they engage with students, educators, and musicians around the country.

Dr. Dickey is widely recognized for leadership in commissioning new works and expanding the repertoire for tuba and euphonium. Their recordings, compositions, and scholarly contributions have received international recognition, and their published works are performed and studied by musicians worldwide. They have led numerous collaborative commissioning projects and continue to champion new artistic voices through performance, mentorship, and advocacy.

Dr. Dickey earned the Doctor of Music degree from Northwestern University, where they studied with Rex Martin and received the prestigious Eckstein Scholarship. They also hold a Master of Arts degree from the University of Iowa and a Bachelor of Music degree, summa cum laude, from Eastern Illinois University. They maintain professional memberships in the International Tuba-Euphonium Association, College Music Society, National Association for Music Education, Music Teachers National Association, and the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.

Contact Info

Department of Music 

Office: FFA M301

Email: cjdickey2@utep.edu

Office Phone: (915) 747-5605