Professor of Music Richard Blatti currently serves The Ohio State University as Head of the Ensembles and Conducting Area and Associate Director of Bands. In addition to his duties as music director and conductor of the OSU Symphonic Band, he supervises all aspects of the conducting curricula and the administration of all university ensembles for the School of Music. Ensembles under his direction have recorded for the Naxos, Delos International, Boosey & Hawkes, and Mark Recording labels and have performed at national and regional levels for the College Band Directors National Association, the American Bandmasters Association and the Ohio Music Educators Association. For his interpretation of their works, Blatti has earned the praise of many composers, including Gunther Schuller, John Mackey, Warren Benson, Steven Bryant, David Gillingham, Frank Ticheli, Jennifer Higdon, Daniel Bukvich, and Roger Cichy. Professor Blatti has twice received The Ohio State University School of Music Distinguished Teaching Award, and in 2007, was presented with the Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching by the President of the University.

As guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator, Blatti has been invited to 38 states, five Canadian provinces, and six other countries, including the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, France, Belgium, Australia, and China. Prior to his appointment at OSU, Professor Blatti was Director of Instrumental Music at Albion College in Michigan for ten years, where he was twice selected the outstanding Faculty Member of the Year, and was awarded two grants in support of his research on rehearsal techniques and conducting pedagogy. Blatti also served as Director of Bands and Music Department Chair at York Community High School in Elmhurst, Illinois.

A student of legendary conductor John Paynter, Blatti earned both the Bachelor of Music Education and the Master of Music degrees from Northwestern University and has done post-graduate work in conducting at Michigan State University. He serves as a Director of the John P. Paynter Foundation, as Conductor Laureate of the Heisey Wind Ensemble, and is a member of the American Bandmasters Association, CBDNA, MENC, OMEA, Pi Kappa Lambda, Phi Beta Mu, Omicron Delta Kappa, Tau Beta Sigma and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. He is in constant demand as a guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and lecturer and is completing his work on a new conducting pedagogy handbook, Teaching Instrumental Conducting.