Jordan Freeman

Jordan Freeman is currently in his eighth year of teaching and the seventh year as the director of bands at Nimitz Middle School in Odessa, TX. His responsibilities include directing the Honor Band, assisting the Symphonic Band and Concert Bands, as well as teaching beginner saxophone, trombone, and clarinet classes. Mr. Freeman’s bands have earned superior ratings at UIL Concert and Sightreading, as well as earning the best in class and best in contest awards at the Cormack Music Festival in Dallas, TX in 2018. In 2019 his band advanced to the state honor band contest in San Antonio as well as being named National Winners in Mark of Excellence. In addition to teaching at Nimitz, Mr. Freeman is also adjunct saxophone instructor at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin and at Odessa College.

Mr. Freeman received his Master of Music in Saxophone Performance as well as a Bachelor of Music All-Level Certification from West Texas A&M University where he studied with Don Lefevre and Russ Teweleit. Mr. Freeman lives in Odessa, TX with his wife Channing and his daughter Elsie.

 

Taryn McMillan

Taryn McMillan is the assistant band director at Nimitz Middle School. Taryn grew up in Midland, TX where she attended school at Goddard JH and Midland HS. While growing up in Midland, Taryn took private lessons and studied oboe with Caryn Crutchfield. After graduating from Midland HS in 2010, Taryn continued her education at West Texas A&M University where she studied with Robert Krause. She completed her Bachelor of Music degree in 2015.

In the fall of 2015, Taryn worked as an assistant band director at Crockett MS. The following school year Taryn worked at Abell JH as an assistant director then took the head director position for the 2017-2018 school year. In the spring of 2018 Taryn joined the Permian High School Band cluster as the assistant director at Nimitz MS. Taryn just completed her 7th year teaching and is so excited for what the future holds here at Nimitz MS.

Taryn married Gary McMillan in the summer of 2017. Gary is a private horn and viola teacher here in the area. Together they enjoy working on their new house and loving on their three dogs Parker, Kylo, and Piper.

 

Channing Freeman

Channing Freeman is in her eighth year as a band director in Odessa. Her responsibilities include teaching percussion and wind instruments and assisting the performing bands. In 2019, Mrs. Freeman’s band received superior ratings at UIL Concert and Sightreading. Mrs. Freeman received her Master of Music in Percussion Performance as well as a Bachelor of Music All-Level Certification from West Texas A&M University. As a performer, Mrs. Freeman has performed as an orchestral percussionist in the Amarillo Symphony, Big Spring Symphony and the Midland Odessa Symphony and Chorale. She has also performed with the WTAMU Symphonic Band at TMEA, CBDNA Southwestern Division Conference, and the CBDNA National Conference. Channing lives in Odessa, Texas with her husband Jordan and daughter Elsie.