Welcome to the Bison Band!
Jayson Burscough, Director of Bands
Mr. Burscough is originally from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and is a graduate of Broken Arrow High School. While in high school, he was a member of the “Pride of Broken Arrow” marching band and won the Bands of America Grand National Championship in 2006.
After graduating, he attended the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma and completed Bachelor Degrees in Music Education and Horn Performance. While studying, he was also an active member in the Phi Mu Alpha fraternity, and was accepted into the Kappa Delta Pi and Scroll Society honor societies.
After graduating with both degrees, he then attended the University of North Texas School of Music and Graduate School and earned a Masters Degree in Horn Performance. While there, he was also accepted into the Pi Kappa Lambda honor society of music and performed in the UNT Wind Symphony under the direction of Eugene Corporon and the UNT Symphony Orchestra under the direction of David Itkin. He also performed with the UNT Opera Orchestra and several Chamber Music Ensembles.
He met his wife, Alyssa, while studying at TU and were married in June, 2016. She is also a teacher in GISD.
Mr. Burscough was also a marching member of the Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps in the 2010 and 2011 seasons, earning a DCI bronze medal in 2010.
Mr. Burscough was the Assistant Band Director at O’Banion Middle School from Fall 2016-Spring 2018, and is currently in his first year as the Head Band Director.
Amy Gould-Whitaker, Assistant Band Director
Mrs. Whitaker is from Midland, TX and graduated from West Texas A&M University in 1998 with a Bachelor’s Degree in music education and a Master's Degree in clarinet performance. While at WTAMU, Mrs. Whitaker was a member of the colorguard in the Buffalo Marching Band, taught private clarinet lessons in the Canyon/Amarillo area, was a 2-time Honors Recital performer, a Concerto Competition winner, was inducted into the honorary music society Pi Kappa Lambda and is a Liberace Scholar. She held the position of Concertmaster of the Symphonic Band for several years, which performed at the Texas Music Educator's Association convention in San Antonio on 2 occasions, and competed as a semi-finalist in the International Clarinet Association's Young Artist Competition.
Immediately after graduation, Mrs. Whitaker became the assistant band director at Hudson MS in Sachse, where the bands earned Division 1 ratings at UIL, followed by several years of teaching private clarinet lessons in many schools across GISD. Most recently, she was the assistant band director in Community ISD.
Mrs. Whitaker has previously performed with the Mesquite Symphony Orchestra, the Irving Community Band, the Lakeshore Symphonic Winds, the Amarillo Symphony, and the Philharmonia New Mexico.
On most weekends, you can find Mrs. Whitaker cheering on her 4 champion kids at their swim meets, softball games, band concerts, and baseball tournaments. Her husband is a captain in the Dallas Fire Department, and they enjoy hiking, camping, gardening, playing with the kids and making fun of their Great Dane, Spartacus.
