Jamie Whitmarsh (b. 1988) is an active composer, percussionist, conductor, and educator presently located in Tallahassee, Florida. He holds Bachelor’s degrees in Percussion Performance and Music Composition from Oklahoma City University and a Master’s degree in Music Composition from Florida State University. Among the many activities in which he participated during his time at OCU, Jamie was president of Project 21, worked with local high schools in several capacities, and formed the OCU Steel Drum Band. Additionally, he is music director of Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park, working to link composers with directors and facilitate interdisciplinary artistic collaboration. Jamie often spends his summers teaching at both the OCU Percussion Camp and the Piedmont Percussion Project Summer Camps. He also works as a wind/percussion arranger with various marching bands, and performs regularly with clarinetist Lisa Kachouee as a2.
Always dedicated to the creation and performance of new music, Jamie has premiered over 60 new works as a performer, conductor, and/or composer. He is also highly interested in the creation of new music for pan, leading Jamie to work with Liam Teague on several arrangements for pan with orchestra and pan with percussion ensemble.
Recently Jamie placed first in the PAS Composition Contest with his piece Concerto for Drumset and Percussion Ensemble, written for Derek Stoltenberg.
Jamie has studied composition with Edward Knight, Ladislav Kubik, Lendell Black, Kris Maloy, and Mark Wingate; percussion with David Steffens and Steve Craft; conducting with Matthew Mailman; and steel pan with Mia Gormandy. Jamie’s music is published with C. Alan Publications and Engine Room Publishing.