Bio
Maurice Draughn is a multi-instrumentalist and versatile performer. His experiences in music range from orchestral, as a harpist with the Detroit Symphony and Detroit Opera Orchestras, to musicals, as a pit musician in touring productions for Broadway in Detroit. Draughn has directed musical productions in a wide range of educational settings, including workshops, residencies, and productions at the University of Michigan. His work as an educator spans from the stage to the classroom in choral music and musical theatre.
He previously served as the director of choral activities at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, and he provided musical direction for the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit as a teaching artist, arranger, and touring music director. As a faculty member at Wayne State University, Draughn taught ear training and class piano, and he directed the WSU Men’s Glee Club. He also served as the academic advisor for the Department of Music. During that time, he contributed to the increase in matriculation rates within the department and aided in developing and revising the curriculum for various music degree programs.
Draughn has appeared on the recordings of notable Grammy Award-winning and -nominated jazz, neo-soul, and gospel artists. He is a sought-after arranger and composer specializing in music for harp and chorus. His most recent composition, Moments for alto trombone and harp, was commissioned and recorded by Kenneth Thompkins, principal trombonist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
In 2023, he received the inaugural Arts Educator Award from the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts at Wayne State University. Draughn received his BM in harp performance and vocal music education from Wayne State University and MCM from Southern Seminary.
