Luke Shaffer is an educator and percussionist serving as Assistant Director of Bands at Morton CUSD 709 since 2024. He is currently pursuing an M.M. in Music Education at Ohio University and holds a B.M. in Music Education from Southern Illinois University. Previously, Mr. Shaffer was Director of Bands at Du Quoin High School (2020-2024) and an Assistant Band Director at Carbondale Community High School (2018-2020). He is a member of the National Band Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of Music, and Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society in Education.
In his previous position, Mr. Shaffer led Du Quoin High School Bands to its first competitive marching band season in school history, established new color guard and winter guard programs, and succeeded in returning band students to the highest ratings at IHSA Organizational and Solo & Ensemble festivals. These efforts earned Du Quoin a place in the Top 25 Class B schools in Illinois Music Sweepstakes in 2024.
As a lifelong percussionist, Mr. Shaffer's performance experience includes the Blue Lake Summer Arts Festival's live public radio broadcasts from Michigan, the Southern Illinois Music Festival's symphonies, ballets, and operas, and recurring performances with the Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra, with a jazz band of area directors, and in the pit orchestras of regional theatre companies' and high schools' musical theatre productions. He lives in East Peoria with his girlfriend Maddie and four cats.