Assistant Director of Bands (2017-2020)

Jeff Garcia studied music education at the University of Michigan School of Music with Dr. Colleen Conway, Dr. Michael Hopkins, Dr. Marie McCarthy, and Dr. Kate Fitzpatrick, graduating in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in Instrumental Music Education. While a student, he taught the Saline High School Symphony Band with Nate Lampman, the Scarlett Middle School Bands with Caroline Fitzgerald, and the Clague Middle School Orchestra with Abby Alwin. Garcia studied with Andrew Perkins, the director of bands at Fenton High School for his student teaching placement, where he developed lesson plans for both symphonic band as well as music technology classes. He is a trumpet player, having studied with Bill Campbell, (Professor of Trumpet at the University of Michigan), Barry Perkins, Scott Thornburg, and Jan Roller.

After graduating, Garcia taught in the Ann Arbor Public Schools as Pittsfield Elementary Director of Bands, Clague Middle School Co-director of Bands, and Clague Middle School Director of World Drumming.  At Clague he also served on the Clague Equity Team, as well as directing the Michigan Artist Citizen Program, an after school music program giving underprivileged children the opportunity to receive both ensemble and private music instruction free of charge.  He joined the Pioneer Band program as Assistant Director of Bands in 2017.

Between 2014 and 2015, Garcia was the principal trumpet in the University Philharmonia Orchestra at the University of Michigan. He has also performed with ensembles such as the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Western Michigan University Russell Brown Honors Brass Quintet, the Michigan Marching Band, the BlueLine Brass Band, the Macpodz, and has also recorded on albums with groups/artists such as Asante, Crime Funk, the Tusks Band, and Steven Stavropolous. Garcia has also been featured several times as both a guest conductor and guest soloist of the Plymouth Community Band. In 2011, he spent a summer touring the United States with the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps, which was awarded the Jim Ott High Brass Award at the Drum Corps International National Championship.