Jeffrey Summers (b. 1985) has been on the faculty of the University of Arkansas since 2020 and is a currently serving as Associate Director of Bands and Teaching Assistant Professor where he conducts the Wind Symphony, teaches undergraduate conducting, and leads the “Best in Sight and Sound” Razorback Marching Band.
A strong advocate for new music and the expansion of wind band repertoire, Summers has recently helped commission works by Peter Van Zandt Lane and Haley Woodrow. In the spring of 2017, he conducted the premiere of B.P. Herrington’s Verses from the Thicket which was a finalist for the 2017-18 American Prize in Composers of Works for Band / Wind Ensemble. In November of 2019, he conducted the premiere performance of his transcription of Sarah Kirkland Snider’s orchestral piece, Disquiet.
From 2017-2022, Summers was a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the Frost School of Music where he studied with Robert Carnochan, earning a doctorate in wind conducting from the University of Miami. He regularly appeared as a graduate conductor with the Frost Wind Ensemble and Frost Symphonic Winds as well as making guest conducting appearances with the new music ensemble, Ensemble IBIS, the Frost Saxophone Ensemble, as well as various student recitals.
Prior to Miami, Summers was a Graduate Assistant at Sam Houston State University where he studied with Matthew McInturf and was the Conductor of the Concert Band and Director of the Angry Orange Basketball Band. He also had opportunities to be a guest conductor of the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band.
Before starting his graduate studies, Summers spent six years as the Director of Bands at Lamar High School in Houston, Texas. His responsibilities included overseeing all aspects of the Lamar High School Marching Band, conducting the Wind Ensemble, and teaching courses in IB Music SL/HL and music history. Under his direction the Lamar Band nearly quadrupled in size and consistently received top honors at music festivals.
A native of Buda, Texas, Summers attended the Butler School of Music at The University of Texas at Austin, where he was an active performer with several university ensembles and studied trumpet with Ray Sasaki.
