James McAllister
James McAllister is Director of Bands at Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kansas, where he conducts the Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, and Broncbuster Athletic Bands, and teaches courses in Music Theory and Music History. Prior to his appointment at the college, he taught in the public and private schools of Maryland and Delaware.
As a performer, Mr. McAllister has worked in the Philadelphia/ Wilmington Region appearing with both locally and nationally known performers such as the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, Benny Goodman Tribute Band, and Randy Brecker. His compositions and arrangements have been performed by many professional and school groups, including the Ardensingers Orchestra, Joe Dawson Big Band, Garden City Municipal Band, Deerfield High School and the Sussex Central and Sussex Technical High School Bands. He is also an in-demand adjudicator and clinician in the Southwestern Kansas and Colorado regions.
Mr. McAllister holds a BME degree from Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, VA, a MM degree in Wind Conducting from the University of Delaware, and is currently pursuing his PhD in Music Education at the University of Kansas. He has studied saxophone with Joe Eckert, former Music Director of the Air Force Jazz Band Airmen of Note, and conducting with Donald Black and Robert Streckfuss, and composition with Jennifer Margaret Barker. His professional affiliations include MENC, Pi Kappa Lambda, CBDNA, Kansas Bandmasters Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.