Sam Howard is beginning his first year as Band Director at Davis High School overseeing the areas of Jazz and Percussion. He will also be assisting Mr. Beck in the areas of wind band and marching band.
Previously, Sam was Band Director for Morgan Middle School in Ellensburg, Washington, where he co-taught all concert bands grades 6-8.
Sam graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Instrumental Music Education from Central Washington University in 2019. While at CWU, he served for two seasons as Drum Major of the CWU Marching Band, and was a soloist for the band in 2016. As a trombonist, Sam performed with all three collegiate wind bands including the renowned CWU Wind Ensemble under Lewis Norfleet. Sam was also a frequent member of the CWU jazz bands and combos, spending three years as a member of the acclaimed CWU Jazz Band 1, where the band earned a featured performance at the 2019 International Jazz Educators Network Conference.
As a jazz musician, Sam has performed with various award-winning artists such as Terrell Stafford, Dafnis Prieto, Wayne Bergeron, Brian Lynch, Bob McChesney, Jeff Coffin, and others. Currently, Sam is a regular performer with the Ellensburg Big Band.
Sam’s previous teaching experience includes instructing the low brass for the AC Davis Marching and Concert Bands from 2016-2019, and assisted as an instructor for the Cle Elum-Roslyn High School Marching and Concert Bands in 2019. Sam is currently on the Brass Staff for the Columbians Drum and Bugle Corps out of Pasco, Washington. As a Jazz Teacher, Sam was Director of the CWU Jazz Band 4 from 2018 through 2019, and was the trombone/beginning jazz combo instructor for the Columbia Basin College Jazz Summit in 2019. In 2021, Sam was nominated for Teacher of the Year at Morgan Middle School.
Outside of music, Sam loves to spend his time wakeboarding, snowboarding, or spending quality time with friends and family.
Every since Sam was little, I watched, as he was inspired to achieve his goals and to do the very best in everything he does. The children he will be teaching will gain so much from his guidance.