Jeff Whitaker

Mr. Whitaker is in his 26th year of music education and his 15th year as Director of Bands at Permian High School in Odessa, Texas. As only the fifth director in the program’s history, he leads a tradition-rich program that now includes five concert bands and has consistently earned UIL Sweepstakes Awards, four UIL Area Marching Championships, and multiple appearances at the UIL State Marching Contest.

Under his leadership, the Permian Band has been named an eight-time consecutive Bands of America Regional Finalist and was selected to perform at the 2019 Music for All National Festival in Indianapolis. Mr. Whitaker oversees a comprehensive band program spanning four campuses, leading a team of 14 directors and serving more than 1,000 student musicians across the Permian Cluster.

Prior to his appointment at Permian, Mr. Whitaker served eight years as Director of Bands at Monahans High School, where his bands advanced to the UIL State Marching Contest three times and earned a third-place finish at the Texas Honor Band Finals. He began his teaching career in Midland, Texas in 2001 as an assistant band director under longtime Texas educator Randy Storie.

Mr. Whitaker is an active adjudicator and clinician throughout Texas and New Mexico. He is currently serving his ninth term as President of TMEA Region 6 and represents Region 6 in the Texas Bandmasters Association. He is a member of the Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Mu and was named Permian High School’s Master Teacher of the Year in 2020.