Allan McMurray is the Robert and Judy Charles Endowed Professor of Music, Chair of the Conducting Faculty, and Director of Bands at the University of Colorado-Boulder, a position he has held since 1978. Prior to this position, he was on the faculty of the University of Michigan. Considered one of the world's leading teachers of conducting, Professor McMurray has guest conducted and taught conductors in 45 states and 15 foreign countries. He has been a featured visiting professor at over 200 universities and conservatories nationally. He has authored two groundbreaking DVDs on the art of conducting that have been received with international acclaim. Professor McMurray is the host for the College Band Directors National Association National Conducting Symposium in Boulder. His former conducting students now hold high school, college, and professional conducting positions throughout North America.

Since Professor McMurray's arrival in 1978, the University of Colorado Bands have distinguished themselves with performances at major conferences and conventions, including The First International Conference for Symphonic Bands in Manchester, England; the All-Japan Band Conference in Nemo Nu Sato, Japan; the College Band Directors National Association Convention (twice); and the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles in Hamamatsu, Japan.

With a strong commitment to new music, Allan McMurray has been a leader in commissioning numerous compositions by American composers. He has won praise for his interpretive and expressive conducting by many composers including Pulitzer Prize winners John Harbison, Joseph Schwanter, Karel Husa, Michael Colgrass and George Crumb. Professor McMurray has performed with the St. Louis Symphony, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Debut Orchestra and has guest conducted the Colorado Symphony in performance at the 50th Anniversary of the Colorado Music Educators Convention in Colorado Springs. He recently completed his third season with the Colorado Ballet Orchestra as principal guest conductor of Dracula.

Allan McMurray is a Past-President of the College Band Directors National Association and a member of numerous professional organizations including the American Bandmasters Association. In addition, he is a recipient of the Bohumil Makovsky Award for Outstanding College Band Directors from the National band fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi, and has been recognized by California State University Long Beach as "Distinguished Artist in Classical Music."

Professor McMurray's first DVD on the Art of Conducting, Conducting from the Inside Out: Gesture and Movement, was released in December of 2002 and has received international acclaim. His second DVD, Conducting from the Inside Out: Conductor and Composer with Frank Ticheli, is published by Manhattan Beach and was released in 2004 at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Conference in Chicago. In December 2004, the Board of Regents designated Allan McMurray as "Distinguished Professor."