McKenzie, Jack

Jack McKenzie (b.1930) is Dean Emeritus of the College of Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois. Prior to his service as Dean, he directed the percussion program in the School of Music for 13 years. In the mid-1960's, he founded the Contemporary Chamber Players of the University of Illinois and served as its first conductor. He was one of the founding members of the Percussive Arts Society and has written a number of works featuring percussion instruments published by Music for Percussion and Media Press. McKenzie studied music at the University of Illinois (B.M.1954) and at Arizona State University (M.A.1956). In 1981 he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Philosopohy Degree by the China Academy, Taiwan.