Jared Morris is a dedicated music educator and percussionist, currently serving as the head band director at Junction City High School in Kansas. He leads the marching band, wind bands, and advanced jazz band, and he created the school’s first percussion ensemble class. Since joining JCHS in 2017, Jared has tripled the number of students qualifying for district and all-state honor bands, and more than quadrupled the number of students receiving superior ratings at the state solo and ensemble festival each spring. The Junction City High School percussion ensemble was invited to perform as a featured high school group at the Kansas Drum Days in 2024, and has received superior ratings annually since Jared created the class in 2018. Under his direction, large ensembles have consistently received earned high ratings.
Before moving to Kansas, Jared spent two years as the assistant conductor of the Cincinnati Youth wind ensembles in Ohio and seven years as the instrumental music director at Timpanogos High School in Utah. Ensembles under his leadership have received numerous region and state honors, including 1st place rankings. Additionally, the Timpanogos High School percussion ensemble earned superior ratings 5 consecutive years at state festivals and took 1st place at the 2015 Utah Day of Percussion.
Mr. Morris is co-author of The Percussionist’s Workbook, and has presented at conferences in Kansas and Utah. Since 1999, he has maintained a private percussion studio, where his students have consistently received top ratings at festivals, been selected for all-state ensembles, and won performance competitions. Many of his former students have gone on to pursue music degrees and careers across the U.S.
An active performer, Jared plays drum set in an annual musical theater production and serves as a substitute concert percussionist with local bands and orchestras. He performed with the Utah Wind Symphony from 2010 to 2015, including a 2014 performance at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago. His other performance credits include the Wichita Grand Opera, Kansas Brigade Band, Junction City Community Band, Utah Lyric Opera, Utah Regional Ballet, Utah Premiere Brass Band, and Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra, as well as an ensemble percussionist at the International Double Reed Society Convention in New York City (2014) and Provo, Utah (2014).
Jared holds a Master of Music degree in music education from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (MM, 2017) and a Bachelor of Music degree Brigham Young University (BM, 2008).
Jared Morris Resume (updated May 2025)
Jared Morris 