Beloved Band Director Retiring after 28 Years

WHITEHOUSE — A local school band director is retiring after 46 years as a music educator. KETK reports, Whitehouse ISD’s Denny Whitley is also being inducted into the Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame this summer. His students say it’s not just his teaching of music that has changed their lives. Whitley said his last count was about 25 students who have gone on to become band directors themselves after being influenced by him. Monday night was his last spring concert after leading bands in Texas for 46 years, 28 of those at Whitehouse ISD. “Falling in love with your instrument, that’s the fun part of seeing the kids getting serious about what we tell them to do,” said Whitley. He retired once in 2005 but decided to come back for another 12 years before retiring for good in 2017.

This summer, he will be inducted into the Texas Bandmaster’s Hall of Fame. He said to him, it’s the highest honor he could be given. Even though he’s saying goodbye to his role as leader, he said he wants to continue to serve in anyway he can. “I would enjoy helping young band directors do their job and consulting. I’ll probably do some judging,” said Whitley. “It’s bittersweet retiring, it really is, because I’ve loved my job all this time.” He will officially retire after their trip to perform at the World War II memorial in Washington D.C. at the end of the month.