REX J. BARKER

Rex Barker has been Director of Instrumental Music at Midland University in Fremont since August 2015. He has also served as Director of Performing Arts at Midland 2016-2018. He directs the Marching and Concert Bands at Midland while also teaching advanced music theory, instrumental pedagogy courses, and instrumental music lessons. Mr. Barker is currently the Music Director for the Omaha Symphonic Winds, an adult concert band in the community. He is also a Sales Representative for Fruhauf Uniforms  and Marchmaster in Nebraska and Iowa. He is President of Nebraskans for the Arts, an arts advocacy organization.

Rex taught at Grand Island Northwest High School for 6 years and at Millard South High School for 27 years. He is a Past-President of the Nebraska Music Educators Association and the Nebraska State Bandmasters Association. He is a nationally registered music educator and was selected in 2001 by School Band and Orchestra magazine as one of their “50 Directors Who Make a Difference”. Other honors include the Gary Thomas Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Nebraska-Kearney, the UNO Bands Hall of Fame, the Excellence in Secondary Education Award from the Millard Public Schools, the NFHS Outstanding Music Educator Award for Nebraska in 2014, and the 2016 Donald A. Lentz Outstanding Bandmaster Award from the NSBA.

Rex and his wife Mary have been married for 38 years. Their son, Joshua is a retired Marine and sales representative for Nebraska Machinery Company. Their daughter, Erin works as a Supervisor at Travel and Transport in Omaha. Rex has a 1965 Mustang convertible to restore in his spare time. Rex and Mary enjoy golfing and spending time with their grandchildren.