Dr. David Conley

Dr. David Conley is a Lecturer in Music, where he teaches music and directs two select ensembles which perform popular a cappella music: Tigeroar and TakeNote. He recently completed his doctoral studies, and also holds a Master’s degree from Erskine and a B.A. from Clemson. While a Clemson undergrad, Dr. Conley was student conductor and accompanist for the Clemson choral ensembles and has stayed involved since that time as an arranger and teacher. He helped emeritus faculty Dr. Dan Rash with the founding of Tigeroar and TakeNote in 1997. He worked mostly with the guys as their principal arranger, where his early credits included their signature song, “Tiger Rag”, and many others. He then kept arranging and team-teaching most of the choral ensembles with Dr. Rash over the years. In 2008, he became the choral director for Tigeroar and added the leadership of TakeNote in 2013. He teaches general music courses and leads seminars on arranging and theory for pop acapella ensembles.
​Dr. Conley also holds an adjunct faculty position at Erskine College, where he formerly conducted the orchestra and taught courses in theory, conducting, arranging and composition. He currently teaches general music, church music and on the philosophy of creativity. He is active in the community as well, working as the music director and pianist for Young Memorial Presbyterian Church in Anderson. He is also the founder of Inklings Abroad, an international travel seminar with summer trips to England and Europe. Additionally, he is a freelance composer and arranger, with hundreds of songs produced for churches, school/college ensembles and community orchestras. On the performance side, he plays piano in the jazz/blues band, Sonic Bacon; and various folk instruments in the Celtic ensemble, Emerald Road. He lives in Clemson with his wife, Michelle, and their children, Wilson and Elyse. He enjoys music, reading, sport, travel and all things British!

Email: conley2@clemson.edu