About the Director

Jim Barbick is in his tenth year as Director of Bands at Whitney M. Young Magnet High School in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Barbick earned his bachelor’s in Music Performance from DePauw University, master’s in Jazz Studies from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and teaching certification from DePaul University. 

 Mr. Barbick’s responsibilities at Whitney Young include directing the Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Combos, and an extra-curricular jazz group. Mr. Barbick also teaches AP Music Theory and is the pit orchestra director for the musicals.  

 The Whitney Young band program has received top awards and accolades at both concert and jazz band competitions and festivals across the country. Whitney Young bands have performed at Carnegie Hall, the University of New Orleans, the Logan Center for the Arts, the Jazz Showcase, Andy’s Jazz Club, the Chicago Jazz Festival, Chicago Symphony Center, the Chicago Cultural Center as well as the New Trier Jazz Festival, Elmhurst College Jazz Festival, Evanston Township High School Jazz Festival, the UIC Jazz Festival, and the Purdue Jazz Festival. The Whitney Young Jazz Quartet earned 2nd place in the Combo category at the 2018 Jazz in the Meadows Festival. The Jazz Ensemble was honored to perform at the 2019 Illinois Music Education Conference. 

 Mr. Barbick maintains a busy schedule as a saxophonist and has played with a variety of artists at venues such as the Green Mill, Andy's Jazz Club, the House of Blues, the Jazz Showcase, NBC, the Goodman Theater, and the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. He is a member of Illinois Music Educators Association (ILMEA), National Association for Music Education (NAfME), Jazz Education Network (JEN), and serves as the ILMEA District 1 Senior Jazz Band representative.