Jeffrey L. Traster, DMA is Music Professor Emeritus at The University of Tampa where he served as Director of Bands and Head of Music Education for nineteen years, including Chair of the Music Department for six years. Altogether, his music education career spanned 33 years in Texas, Ohio, and Florida. He is an active guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator, composer, low brass instructor, and tuba player.
Born and raised in Texas, he earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree (tuba concentration) from Baylor University, a Master of Music degree (conducting) from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree (conducting) from the University of Texas at Austin. His primary conducting teachers/mentors include Richard Floyd, Allan McMurray, and Tom Lee.
Prior to The University of Tampa, Traster taught at Dobie Middle School and Reagan High School in Austin, TX, was Associate Director of Bands at Baylor University, and Director of Bands at Wright State University in Dayton, OH. Beginning at the University of Tampa in 1996, Traster received the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Teaching Excellence Award in 1998, an Outstanding Service Award in 2006, a Teaching Innovation Grant in 2008, and was promoted to Full Professor in 2009. Traster founded the annual UT Quad-County Honor Band (select high school musicians, grades 10-12) in 2000 and the UT Summer Band Camp (grades 7-12) in 2002.
Dr. Traster is a member of the Florida Bandmasters Association, Florida Music Educators Association, National Association for Music Education, College Band Directors National Association, and Pi Kappa Lambda.