Luke Chaffee is Director of Bands at Washburn Rural High School in Topeka, KS. Before coming to Washburn Rural in 2005, Mr. Chaffee taught at Highland Park High and Eisenhower Middle School for 6 years.
Mr. Chaffee graduated from Washburn Rural High School in 1994 and received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Kansas State University in 1999. He student taught with Dr. Marion Roberts at Blue Valley North High School in Overland Park, KS.
The band programs under Mr. Chaffee have represented Kansas in Washington, DC; Orlando, FL; Sandusky, OH; San Antonio, TX; Jacksonville, FL; and New Orleans, LA. Participation in the Washburn Rural Middle School, Iola, and Worlds of Fun Band Festivals; Central States, Capital City, Neewollah and Festival of Champions Marching Festivals; and the Kansas State, Baker, Washburn, Kansas, and Friends University Jazz Festivals are a regular part of his annual performance calendar. At Eisenhower Middle School, Mr. Chaffee began the 6th -8th grade jazz band, traveled to festivals for the first time in decades, and began performing as a marching band annually at the high school homecoming parade and football game. At Highland Park High School, he created a music theory/history course, added a second jazz band, created the Lucky 7 Jazz Septet, and developed a student leadership core within the band. In the spring of 2005, his concert band was selected to perform a prelude concert for the Kansas State University Wind Ensemble. While at Washburn Rural, enrollments in all bands have increased. Music Theory 1, 2, and Music History have been added to the curriculum, as well as a third concert ensemble, second jazz band, and a jazz combo The Blue Keys Jazz Septet.
Mr. Chaffee's professional affiliations are the Kansas Music Educators Association, Kansas Bandmasters Association, Music Educators National Conference, and International Trumpet Guild. The Topeka Capital Journal honored him in its annual Best of Topeka as one of Topeka's top five Favorite Teachers in 2001. In July of 2004, he was awarded Outstanding Young Bandmaster from Phi Betu Mu and the Kansas Bandmaster's Association. In the fall of 2007 he was honored by WRHS faculty, administration, and students as the Educator of Excellence.
Luke Chaffee resides in Auburn with his wife Leanna, son Nicholas, daughter Tessa, and their dog Macy.