Jonathan Whitaker joined the faculty of Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, AR as Assistant Professor of Trombone and Low Brass in 2004. Whitaker has also completed his doctoral coursework at Indiana University where he served as Associate Instructor of Trombone from 2001-2004.

While in school at Indiana University, Whitaker served as president of the Indiana University Chapter of the International Trombone Association. He coordinated and organized guest artist appearances by Edward Kleinhammer, Douglas Wright, Blair Bollinger and Henry Charles Smith. Most recently he was the key organizer of the commissioning project for Eric Ewazen's Visions of Light with the world premier performed at the 2003 Midwest Clinic by the New York Philharmonic's Principal Trombonist Joseph Alessi and the IU Wind Ensemble.

Whitaker is an active performer as both a soloist and orchestral musician. He has appeared as a soloist with the Indiana University Wind Ensemble, the Augusta College Symphonic Band, the Purdue University Symphony Orchestra and the Henderson State University Symphonic Band. He also performed the American Premier of Johan de Meij's T-Bone Concerto with the Murray State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble. Whitaker's orchestral experience includes performing with the Owensboro Symphony, the Evansville Philharmonic, the Duluth-Superior Symphony, the Jackson Symphony and the Paducah Symphony orchestras. Whitaker is currently Principal Trombone with the South Arkansas Symphony, a member of the Arkansas Brass and a founding member of Stentorian Consort, a newly formed trombone quartet.

Whitaker holds degrees in trombone performance from Murray State University and the University of Minnesota. He has taught in the Caldwell County School District and is in demand as a clinician and guest conductor for high school music festivals throughout Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Louisana, Texas and Arkansas. Whitaker's primary teachers include Ray Conklin, Tom Ashworth, M. Dee Stewart, Peter Ellefson and Joseph Alessi with additional studies with Arnold Jacobs, Edward Kleinhammer and Douglas Wright.

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