GREGORY X. WHITMORE
B i o g r a p h y
Dr. Gregory X. Whitmore is an Assistant Professor of Instrumental Music Education at The California State University Fullerton School of Music. In this capacity, Dr. Whitmore teaches in the Instrumental Music Education Program, supervises student teachers, and conducts the CSUF Symphonic Winds. In addition to his work in higher education, Dr. Whitmore is in his eighth season as Music Director of the Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble (Irvine, CA). This follows appointments as Director of Bands at Irvine Valley College (Irvine, CA), Mt. San Antonio College (Walnut, CA), and College of the Desert (Palm Desert, CA). Prior to his work in higher education, Dr. Whitmore spent 13 years as Director of Bands at Cathedral City High School (Cathedral City, CA). A native of Ypsilanti, Michigan; Dr. Whitmore received his bachelor’s degree in instrumental music education from The University of Michigan School of Music, Theater and Dance in Ann Arbor, Michigan. While a student at The University of Michigan, Dr. Whitmore performed in the University of Michigan Bands; and led the University of Michigan Marching Band as “Michigan’s Man Up Front” - Drum Major - from 1999 to 2001. Dr. Whitmore received his master's degree in music with an emphasis in wind conducting from California State University Fullerton studying under Dr. Mitchell Fennell. Dr. Whitmore holds a master’s degree and a doctorate in music and music education from Columbia University (Teachers College) in the city of New York.
Dr. Whitmore has conducted ensembles in such notable concert venues as The Golden Hall of The Musikverein (Vienna), The Wiener Konzerthaus (Vienna), The MuTh (Vienna), Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall (Costa Mesa), Symphony Hall (Chicago), The Kennedy Center (Washington, D.C.), Carnegie Hall (New York City), Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles), Meng Hall (Fullerton, California), Holy Trinity Church (Stratford, England), St. John’s Smith Square (London), Chateau Vaux le Vicomte (Paris), and Heidelberg Castle (Germany). Under Dr. Whitmore’s direction, the Cathedral City High School Symphony Band was selected to perform as the showcase ensemble during the 2008 California Band Directors Association Annual Convention. Dr. Whitmore is the Second Place Winner of the 2017 American Prize in Conducting.
Dr. Whitmore belongs to professional organizations that include College Band Directors National Association, Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Fraternity, Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity, Pi Kappa Lambda Honor Society, The National Association for Music Education, Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association, and the California Music Educators Association.
With a research interest in music educator values as operationalized into pedagogy, in addition to investigating the concert band as an artistic medium; Dr. Whitmore has presented research at music education symposia in the United States and abroad. Dr. Whitmore's research has been published in Visions of Research in Music Education. Dr. Whitmore is a recognized member of Academic Key’s Who’s Who in Community College Education, as well as four editions of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. Dr. Whitmore has been included in the 2005/2006 Edition of the National Honor Roll’s Outstanding American Teachers. Dr. Whitmore was selected to represent the State of California by School Band and Orchestra Magazine in the 2008 edition of “50 Band Directors Who Make A Difference”.

Scholarly Interests
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The Wind Band As Artistic Medium.
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Ensemble Conducting.
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Instrumental Music Education.
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Beliefs & Values of Music Education Practitioners.
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Music Educator Preparation.
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Literature For Winds and New Works for the Modern Wind Band.
Doctoral Dissertation Title:
Inspired Practice - The Values Of High School Band Directors.
Selected Publications & Presentations
Whitmore, G. (2019). "Behind The Music: Concert Programming For Artistry". Session presented at the California Music Education Conference, 2019. Fresno, CA.
Whitmore, G. (2018). "Concert Programming For Music Educators". In
Bandworld Magazine, 33(3).
Whitmore, G. (2017). "Concert Programming For Music
Educators". National Federation of State High School Association
Music Association Journal, 34(1) pp.12-14.
Whitmore, G. (2017). "SCSBOA Honor Band Experience As Conductor". In
Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association
Newsletter, pp.12.
Whitmore, G. (2017). “Concert Programming For Music
Educators”. California Music Educators Association (CMEA). January,
2016.
Whitmore, G. (2013). Bach Fugue In G Minor (“The Little”). In C. Randles
& D. Stringham, (Eds.), Musicianship: Composing In Band & Orchestra
(pp 191-197). Chicago, Illinois: GIA.
Presentations
Through the Looking Glass: Investigating The Student High School Band Experience, International Society for Music Education 34th World Congress, Helsinki, Finland, August 2 – 7, 2020. (Conference Cancelled – COVID-19)
Collaboration, Connection, and Creativity – A Brainstorming Session with Southern California High School Band Directors. California State University Fullerton School of Music – Music Education Department Event. Virtual Forum via Zoom. Fullerton, CA August 7th, 2020.
"Conversations With Conductors" - Conductors of The Pacific Symphony: Panelist. California State University, Fullerton Arts Inter-Club Council. Virtual Forum via Zoom
Fullerton, CA, June 29th, 2020
Whitmore, G. (2019). A Life In The Arts: Keynote Speaker at Vista Murietta High School Band Gala.
Behind The Music: Concert Programming For Artistry, Session presented at the California All-State Music Education Conference, 2019. Fresno, CA.
Whitmore, G. (2018). Inspired Artistry: The Values of Music Educators, International Society For Music Education 33rd World Congress, Bakú, Azerbaijan, July 15 – 20, 2018. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Whitmore, G. (2018, March). Inspired Artistry: The Values of High School Band Directors. Poster session presented at the Annual Convention of the National Association for Music Education, Atlanta, GA.
Setting the Table: Concert Programming For Music Educators. Southern California School Band & Orchestra Association Convention. Anaheim Hyatt, Garden Grove, CA. January, 26 2018.
A Q & A Session With Composer Michael Markowski. Southern California School Band & Orchestra Association Convention. Anaheim Hyatt, Garden Grove, CA. January, 21, 2017.
New Wine In Old Bottles: New Approaches For Existing Technology & Your Music Program. Music Association For California Community Colleges. San Francisco, CA., November, 2015.
Panelist: “Social Justice Through The Arts”. University of Michigan
Martin Luther King Symposium. Ann Arbor, MI., January, 2009.