Robert Barfield is currently in his 17th year of teaching in the state of Florida public school system, and is in his 11th year at Tarpon Springs High School. He is currently the Associate Director of Bands for the Tarpon Springs High School Leadership Conservatory for the Arts. The Marching Band is a 5-time Class AA National Champion at the Bands of America Grand National Championships. The Wind Ensemble has performed at Carnegie Hall twice, Alice Tully Hall at the Lincoln Center, the National Wind Festival in San Francisco, the Washington DC Band Festival at the Kennedy Center, and the Bands of America National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis. Under Mr. Barfield's direction, the Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Bones Combo have performed at the University of North Texas Jazz Festival twice, and most recently at the Savannah Music Festival "Swing Central" Jazz Competition. Mr. Barfield will be conducting the Maine All-State Jazz Ensemble in January of 2010. His responsibilities at Tarpon Springs High School include teaching the Marching Band, directing the Jazz Ensembles, Jazz Combos, Assistant Conductor of Wind Ensemble I, Wind Ensemble II, Brass Pedagogy, Music Theory and Technology, and overseeing the Solo and Ensemble process. In addition, Mr. Barfield teaches the Music Leadership course, which is required of all freshman enrolled in the Leadership and Music Conservatory at Tarpon Springs High School.

Mr. Barfield is also a director of the community youth Jazz Ensemble at the Ruth Eckerd Hall Performing Arts Center in Clearwater, Florida. He is a teacher in their jazz preparatory course, which meets weekly and includes students from all over the Tampa Bay area.

Mr. Barfield graduated Summa cum Laude form the University of North Florida with a Bachelors of Arts in Music Education. He is a member of the Music Educators National Conference, the International Association of Jazz Educators, the Florida Music Educators Association, the Florida Bandmasters Association, and the Pinellas County Music Educators Association. In addition to his duties at Tarpon Springs High School, he enjoys an active schedule as an adjudicator, drill designer and guest clinician throughout the country. Mr. Barfield has been recognized several times in the "Who's Who Among America's High School Teachers".

Mr. Barfield has been involved with the drum and bugle corps activity for twenty-seven years, currently a Visual Consultant for the Blue Stars Crum and Bugle Corps, and recently as the Visual Caption Head for the DCI World Championship Finalist Boston Crusaders, a position he held from 2000 - 2007.

"I am looking forward to continuing my role as a visual consultant with the Blue Stars," said Barfield. "It is exciting to watch the growth of the corps and to see the members evolve into world class performers."