Mr. Justin O. Swaim is a conductor with experiences in orchestral, wind band, and chamber music settings. He currently serves as Orchestra Director at Freedom High School in Tampa, Florida where he oversees all aspects of the orchestra program.
Prior to his position at Freedom High School, Mr. Swaim served as Director of Bands at Paul R. Wharton High School in Tampa where he was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the music program as performing arts department chair. During his time there, the orchestra and band programs earned top ratings at both the Florida Orchestra Association and Florida Bandmasters Association Music Performance Assessments and his students participated in numerous local, regional, and national honors ensembles. During the 2021-2022 academic year he served as the All-County Bands chair for Hillsborough County Schools.
He began his career as Director of Orchestras at Junius H. Rose High School and E.B. Aycock Middle School in Greenville, North Carolina. His students earned top honors at the North Carolina Music Educators Association Orchestra Division Music Performance Adjudication as well as positions in county and state honors events.
As Director of Orchestras at Vance High School and J.M. Alexander Middle School in Charlotte, North Carolina, Mr. Swaim was responsible for the direction of both middle school and high school orchestral activities where his students were selected to perform in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Honors Orchestra.
Mr. Swaim holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree and a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting degree from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro School of Music. At UNCG, he studied both wind and orchestral conducting with Dr. John R. Locke and Dr. Kevin M. Geraldi.
During his time at UNC Greensboro, he made conducting appearances with the University Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia String Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Casella Sinfonietta, and Symphonic Band. While completing his graduate studies he served as Assistant Conductor of the University Band, was a graduate assistant for the Music Education department, and was a founding member and conductor of the Foothills Chamber Ensemble of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. After completion of his graduate studies, he conducted internationally in Austria and Italy as part of the UNCG Wind Ensemble European Tour.
In 2021 he won the second place American Prize in conducting for his work with the Wharton High School Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band and in the 2019 he was announced as a National Finalist for the American Prize in conducting.
Mr. Swaim is an active member in the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the American String Teachers Association (ASTA), and the Florida Orchestra Association (FOA). Mr. Swaim is an alumni member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and has also held active professional memberships in the Conductors Guild, and the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA).
Prior to his position at Freedom High School, Mr. Swaim served as Director of Bands at Paul R. Wharton High School in Tampa where he was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the music program as performing arts department chair. During his time there, the orchestra and band programs earned top ratings at both the Florida Orchestra Association and Florida Bandmasters Association Music Performance Assessments and his students participated in numerous local, regional, and national honors ensembles. During the 2021-2022 academic year he served as the All-County Bands chair for Hillsborough County Schools.
He began his career as Director of Orchestras at Junius H. Rose High School and E.B. Aycock Middle School in Greenville, North Carolina. His students earned top honors at the North Carolina Music Educators Association Orchestra Division Music Performance Adjudication as well as positions in county and state honors events.
As Director of Orchestras at Vance High School and J.M. Alexander Middle School in Charlotte, North Carolina, Mr. Swaim was responsible for the direction of both middle school and high school orchestral activities where his students were selected to perform in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Honors Orchestra.
Mr. Swaim holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree and a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting degree from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro School of Music. At UNCG, he studied both wind and orchestral conducting with Dr. John R. Locke and Dr. Kevin M. Geraldi.
During his time at UNC Greensboro, he made conducting appearances with the University Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonia String Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Casella Sinfonietta, and Symphonic Band. While completing his graduate studies he served as Assistant Conductor of the University Band, was a graduate assistant for the Music Education department, and was a founding member and conductor of the Foothills Chamber Ensemble of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. After completion of his graduate studies, he conducted internationally in Austria and Italy as part of the UNCG Wind Ensemble European Tour.
In 2021 he won the second place American Prize in conducting for his work with the Wharton High School Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band and in the 2019 he was announced as a National Finalist for the American Prize in conducting.
Mr. Swaim is an active member in the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the American String Teachers Association (ASTA), and the Florida Orchestra Association (FOA). Mr. Swaim is an alumni member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and has also held active professional memberships in the Conductors Guild, and the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA).
