Stephen T McClard

Early career

McClard attended Southeast Missouri State University from 1986 to 1990 where he graduated with a Bachelor of Music Education. His first teaching assignments were in southeast Missouri and southern Illinois.

First Pianodesk

McClard is most noted for his "Pianodesks". He made his first Pianodesk in the summer of 1996 for a friend while living in Benton, Illinois. The first desk was so well received that he then made a 2nd for another friend. Since that time he has made desks that have sold all across the United States and bass guitars that have sold all across the World. Desk 7 [2] sits in the bungalows at Warner Bros. Studios and is used to hold an Oscar and Emmy Award for one of the original X-Files producers. McClard's pianodesks have been featured in magazines such as Business 2.0 and in countless newspapers and Television news stories. McClard's web site, www.pianodesk.com [3], features all of his woodworking projects.

First Bass Guitar

McClard's first bass guitar [4] took form in 2003 and was made from the lid of a piano and sold to a professional bassist in Italy. Other basses produced my McClard have sold to notable bass players form around the world. Each new bass guitar is uniquely hand crafted and one-of-a-kind.

Band Directing Career

Mr. McClard is a 2nd generation band director who has taught High School and Middle School band since 1990 and has been recognized professionally many times and carries on a tradition that was set by his father, Don McClard, who was also a noted band director in Missouri. In 2003, he was featured on the cover of SBO Magazine (School Band and Orchestra Magazine) April issue [5] for his ground breaking work with music technology. Also in 2003, McClard was invited to conduct the Marine Band[6] Colors Ceremony at Camp Pendleton. In 2006, 2008, and 2009, McClard's band program, in conjunction with the choral program at Bolivar High School, was named one of the "Best 100 Schools for Music Education in America" by the American Music Conference, one of only 3 schools in the state of Missouri to do so.[7] In the September 2006 issue of Music Educator's National Conference magazine, McClard was featured for the new multi-media band room and unique use of technology to teach beginning band [8]. The December issue of SBO Magazine [9] named Mr. McClard as one of the 2006 "50 Director's Who Make a Difference".

Noted Piano Technician

McClard is also a 3rd generation Piano Technician and his work has been featured in the Piano Technicians Journal [10]. McClard's grandfather, Ralph Townsend, [11] tuned pianos in the early 1930s in Kansas City. He was forced to learn the profession after losing his popcorn business when he returned from the war. He learned to tune from a blind piano tuner in Kansas. McClard's father, Don McClard, learned to tune from Ralph Townsend when he was in his first band directing job in Weston, Missouri. Don McClard supplemented his teaching income with piano tuning for over 40 years and apprenticed his sons until his death in 1989.

Author of the book, The Superior Educator

Stephen McClard is also the author of the book, The Superior Educator: A Calm and Assertive Approach to Classroom Management and Large Group Motivation[12]. This book is the ultimate field guide for educators young and old. The concepts in this book are based around twenty educational routines that will guarantee success for any teacher.

Further Accomplishments

Please visit www.pianodesk.com [13] or www.bolivarmusic.org [14] for more on Stephen McClard.