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Justin R. Stolarik

Conductor of the Wind EnsembleStolarik
Director of Athletic Bands
justin.stolarik@stonybrook.edu        

DR. JUSTIN R. STOLARIK directs and oversees all aspects of the Stony Brook University NCAA Division 1 FCS Athletic Bands Program and conducts the Wind Ensemble. As an active freelance musician and conductor in New York City, he has served as Associate Conductor of the Manhattan Wind Ensemble, Resident Guest Conductor of the Kings County Concert Band, Assistant Director and Conductor of the Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps Symphonic Band, as a percussionist with the Brooklyn Wind Symphony (BKWS), and as Artistic Director of the National Lesbian & Gay Marching Band (Washington DC). Performances with the BKWS in 2015 took him to Carnegie Hall and to the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE) International Conference in San Jose, California. He can be heard as timpanist and section percussionist on the “Michael Markowski / Brooklyn Wind Symphony” recording, under the direction of Jeff W. Ball. Before arriving at Stony Brook in 2018, Dr. Stolarik served approximately 700 real estate agents as Market Center Administrator of Operations (Chief Operating Officer) at Keller Williams New York City. 
 
Prior to New York, Dr. Stolarik served as Associate Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands as the Gene Braught Chair of Music at the University of Oklahoma, and served as Assistant Director of Bands at both the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Henderson State University (Arkansas). His wind and percussion arrangements have been performed by athletic bands at football and basketball games around the country before audiences of over 80,000. In addition to athletic bands, he has arranged for the Dallas Winds and the University of Texas Wind Ensemble. Dr. Stolarik has worked with such notable performers as will.i.am (Black Eyed Peas), Everlast (House of Pain), Tom Wopat (Dukes of Hazzard), Ed Shaughnessy (The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson), Allee Willis, Carolyn Wonderland, Roky Erickson, Ray Benson (Asleep at the Wheel), Jerry Jeff Walker, and Ghostland Observatory.
 
Dr. Stolarik completed his Doctorate of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees in Percussion Performance at the University of Texas at Austin, and his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education, with Highest Honors, at the University of Florida. While at UT, he performed with the UT Wind Ensemble at Carnegie Hall in 2005 for the World Premiere of John Corigliano’s Symphony No. 3 “Circus Maximus,” and in 2008 at the Jungfrau Music Festival (Switzerland), Mid-Europe Festival (Austria), Wiltz Open-Air Festival (Luxembourg), Festival Veranos de la Villa (Spain), and in Cadogan Hall (London), featuring the same work. He can be heard as timpanist on the World Premiere recording available from Naxos Classical, under the direction of Jerry F. Junkin. During his years at UF, he was a three-year Front Line member of the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps (2000-2002), and was two-time Drum Corps Midwest and Drum Corps International Timpani Solo Champion (2001 and 2002). He was featured in issues of Percussion News and Modern Drummer for these solo performances. He later served on teaching staff for the Madison Scouts as Front Line Instructor in 2003.

Dr. Stolarik is an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi (Alpha Tau) and Tau Beta Sigma (Beta Gamma and Theta Theta) National Band Service and Leadership Organizations.

Visit stonybrook.edu/band for more information.