Denise Richards

Denise Richards is a native Arkansan, born in El Dorado, where she began playing piano at the age of five. After graduating from Hope High School, she attended the U of A Fayetteville and trained be a music educator.

After teaching for three years in Texas public school band programs in East Texas and the Fort Worth area, Ms. Richards returned to college at what was then North Texas State University (now University of North Texas) in Denton, graduating in 1986 with a master’s degree in Administrative Management.

She spent several years working General Foods which merged with Kraft Foods, which the company was known as going forward. In 1994, she moved to  Bentonville, AR where she was hired to manage Walmart and Sam’s Accounts Payable  for Kraft. She bought a house and instantly felt at home and welcomed as a member  of the music performance community. Within a year, Denise started playing piano in rehearsals and Within a year, Denise started playing piano in rehearsals and musicals with The Arts Center of the Ozarks in Springdale (now known

 as “Arts One

Presents”) and has done so for every summer since (excluding 2020 and 2021 when

the virus prevented those events from occurring).

After 27 years in corporate management, Ms. Richards retired early and has since

devoted her time and talent as piano accompanist in support of public school choral and

band programs, and well as performing on clarinet and saxophone with community

bands, church orchestras, and choral groups. She is currently enjoying playing piano

with The NWA Women’s Chorus.