DIRECTORS' SOCIAL
ABOUT
The Ontario Band Association, with the support of Long & McQuade and Yamaha Canada, is proud to invite you to the Annual Directors' Social!
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This invitation is extended to all current members of the OBA, festival participants (adults), as well as adjudicators and Provincial Band Festival sponsors. We also invite you to bring a guest.
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We will be celebrating the successful completion of our 24th Annual Provincial Band Festival and presenting the Festival Awards and Scholarships.
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The evening will also include complimentary appetizers and bar, great music, the Festival Awards, a keynote address by Jeff King, author of Foundations for Superior Performance.
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Our goal of the Directors' Social is to provide a venue and atmosphere to celebrate our passion for education and our love of music. It is one of only a few opportunities that we music educators have to socialize during the academic year, and this year we have a lot of catching up to do!
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Best wishes,
Jessica Puskar
Provincial Band Festival Coordinator
WHERE/WHen
Friday February 13th, 2026
Chinese Cultural Centre of Toronto
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(518 Sheppard Ave. East, Scarborough
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6:30 - 10:00 PM
keynote address
Jeffrey King
Jeff King is currently a band consultant, adjudicator, and clinician for students and
directors across the United States and Canada. Starting in 2020, Mr. King served as an
adjunct music professor for two years on the faculty of The University of Texas at
Arlington. Prior to this appointment, Mr. King served as the Irving Independent School
District (ISD) director of fine arts for five years, where he oversaw all aspects of the fine
arts programs. Prior to his administrative duties in Irving, Mr. King was a Texas band
director for thirty-one years. Most of his teaching career was spent in Duncanville ISD,
with twenty-six years’ experience, culminating as director of bands for his last five
years. In 2008, Mr. King was co-conductor of the wind ensemble with Dr. Tom Shine,
which was selected as the Texas 5A (6A) high school state honor band. In 2019, Mr.
King along with his Duncanville HS colleagues, were awarded the prestigious
Exemplary High School Band award given by the Texas Bandmasters Association (TBA).
In July of 2024, Jeff was inducted into the Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame. In 2025,
the Texas Bandmasters Association awarded Mr. King the Meritorious Achievement
Award.
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Mr. King co-authored a band warm-up and technique book entitled Foundations for
Superior Performance (A.K.A. The Blue Book ) and The Complete Instrument Reference
Guide for Band Directors. These texts are widely used throughout North America,
Australia, and China. He has presented workshops in over thirty states as well as
Canada. Some of his notable clinics include: The Midwest International Band and
Orchestra Conference, National Association for Music Educators, Texas Music
Educators Association, and the Texas Bandmasters Association. In 2007, Mr. King was
the chief adjudicator for the Melbourne Band Festival held in Melbourne, Australia. In
the summers of 2011, 2019, 2024, Mr. King traveled to China, presenting clinics to
band directors and students across the country. In July of 2025, Jeff had the pleasure
of traveling to Australia for the third time, presenting clinics and workshops for
Australian instrumental teachers. In February of 2026, Mr. King will be serving as an adjudicator and keynote speaker for the Ontario Band Association (OBA) Provincial Band Festival held in Toronto, Canada.
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From 2011-2018, Mr. King served on the Texas Bandmasters Association Board,
proudly serving as TBA President in 2017.
Mr. King has music degrees from Southern Methodist University, (M.M. Trumpet
Performance) studying trumpet with Thomas Booth (Dallas Symphony Orchestra) and
Baldwin-Wallace University (B.M.E), studying trumpet with James Darling (Cleveland
Orchestra) and Mary Squire (Ohio Chamber Orchestra).
His professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas
Bandmasters Association, National Association for Music Educators and the
International Bandmasters’ Fraternity, Phi Beta Mu.
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