Professor of jazz composition and arranging at UNT Richard DeRosa directs the Three O'Clock Lab Band. This, along with the One and Two, is a clear indication of the depth of experience in the UNT jazz studies division represented by these faculty-led top three jazz lab bands.
 
The Three O'Clock has appeared at jazz festivals across the U.S. including Notre Dame, UT Longhorn Jazz Festival, Friends University Jazz Festival, and Wichita Jazz Festival. The Three serves as the house band for the annual UNT Jazz Trombone Day event at UNT, and has performed for the Gospel Meets Jazz series organized by jazz saxophone professor Brad Leali.
 
DeRosa has extensive experience writing for and conducting many of the top professional jazz orchestras in the world, including residencies with the WDR Big Band and guest conducting his commissioned pieces with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra at the request of Wynton Marsalis.
 

DeRosa has received a Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Composition for his big band composition “Neil” which is dedicated to Neil Slater, director of the One O'Clock Lab Band from 1981-2008, and was recorded by the One O'Clock Lab Band on Lab 2015. His music can be heard on multiple album projects including My Personal Songbook, WDR Big Band featuring Ron Carter; Rediscovered Ellington, Garry Dial and Dick Oatts; and Perseverance-The Music of Rich DeRosa at North Texas, One O'Clock Lab Band, Two O'Clock Lab Band, and UNT Concert Orchestra performing “Suite for an Anniversary,” a commissioned work celebrating the UNT 125th anniversary.
 
The third of eight lab bands presently (including the highly-popular UNT Latin Jazz Lab) the Three O'Clock Lab Band represents the depth of talent that is a hallmark of the UNT lab band tradition.