Richard Warnock was born and raised in Pt. Loma, a suburb of San Diego, where he attended Loma Portal Elementary School, Dana Junior High School and Pt. Loma High School. He showed an early interest in music and began playing the clarinet in elementary school. By the time he graduated high school, he had also learned to play oboe, bassoon, trumpet, flute and bagpipes.
While studying at San Diego State, he was a member of the Marching Aztecs, taught the Helix High School Bagpipe Band, and assisted the orchestra teacher at Dana Junior High School. During the 1960’s, he joined the Campbell Chevrolet Pipe Band. Later, he joined the Cameron Highlanders Pipe Band and eventually became Pipe Major of the Band. Playing “the ‘pipes” provided some memorable opportunities for Richard. He played for Prince Charles, aboard the HMS Jupiter and afterward shared drinks with the Prince. He played in a Rod Stewart concert with the Camerons.
After college, his career kept Richard busy, but the music bug bit him again. He volunteered as a music educator at Correia Junior High School and Pt. Loma High School. Volunteering in various capacities became a full-time gig for Richard: bassoon coach with “Band at the Beach” summer music programs, playing and teaching with the Filarmonica Uniao Portuguesa de San Diego and filarmoniado Artesia DES; conductor of the Optimist Youth Band; member and conductor of the City Guard Band; and bassoonist with the New City Sinfonia and San Diego Concert Band.
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