Keith Csolak With a BA and a Masters in Music Education and over thirty years teaching experience in the NJ Public Schools, Mr. Csolak brings his expertise to our Star Maker music students again this season. Csolak has instructed Concert Band, Jazz Band, Competitive Marching Band, Show Orchestra, and Music Theory at the High School level for ten years and more recently spent twenty years teaching middle school bands of the same nature as well as private and group lessons on all instruments. He has taught children from age seven through eighteen for over thirty years. Mr. Csolak has many years of professional experience as a musician on stage and in the recording studio. He keeps abreast of the newest trends and popular arrangements by continuing performance currently playing in Fragile, 519 South , Roadhouse, Jazz Indigo, 78 West, Bass Boards, Mojo Gypsies, First Class Act, Johnny Pompadore and the Jeff Kline Band. His classical performances of recent have been with the Hunterdon Symphony and he volunteers with the Show Band for the Flemington Raritan Community Theatre in Hunterdon and for performances at Washington Crossing Open Air Theatre. Csolak’s percussion, drum set repertoire for class includes classical rudiments, chart reading for musicals and Jazz, Country, Blues and Rock. His style of teaching inspires as it incorporates well known songs of the fifties, sixties and early seventies as well as favorite hits of recent years making his lessons exciting and fun for beginners and challenging and worthwhile for his advanced players. In the industry, Csolak has played with some of the classic favorites. He toured with The Crests, of “Sixteen Candles” fame, The Platters, and Bobby Lewis, “Splish, Splash” and others. He was the house band drummer and played for many famous solo artists. Spending many hours in the studio, both in NYC and Philadelphia, he recorded at Sigma Sound Studios, Pa and Media Sound Studios, NY. Signed with Black Sheep Records, Keith pursued original music with Tom Marolda in LA, and Big Help in NY. A student of Tony DeNicola, famous drummer for the Harry James Band, Mr. Csolak has also written parts for many school bands, marching units and drum corps. He is an adjudicator for America’s Youth On Parade’s World Championship Drum Line, Musical Sections, and Percussion Unit competitions. His students have gone on to become drum majors for Big Ten University Marching Bands and to professional work playing for the TV show, “Dancing With The Stars” and in professional bands; “Tool.” Both his sons perform professionally as well, for Cirque du Soleil, television and Broadway. When not teaching or performing, Mr. Csolak can be found at home with his wife, Leesa, his son, Kevin and their two shelties, Korinne and Toby or visiting his college age boys at the University of South Carolina and New York University. Go back
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