Jeremy Olisar

Jeremy Olisar has been at Waynesburg University (WU) since 2007 as a Part-Time Professor of Woodwinds in the music department, teaching woodwind lessons, assisting as the woodwind tech of the Symphonic Band and directing the Woodwind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble and Kiltie Band (or bagpipe and drum band). He has been on staff at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) since 2021 where he is an Artist Lecturer in Music Education in the school of music and Director of the Kiltie Band, the university's premier marching and concert ensemble for non-music majors.

Mr. Olisar is a graduate of CMU with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in clarinet performance and minors in music education and conducting. While attending, he studied clarinet from Michael Rusinek, past principal clarinetist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; composition from Nancy Galbraith, an American Composer who has played a leading role in defining the sound of contemporary classical music for four decades; conducting from Denis Colwell, past Music Director of both the River City Brass Band and CMU Wind Ensemble; and bagpipes from Alasdair Gillies, one of the most successful competitive solo players of all time. After earning his Pennsylvania Certification in Music Education, K-12 through CMU's certification program, Mr. Olisar taught full time in the public school system for six years before going on to earn a Master of Arts in band conducting from the American Band College in Ashland, Oregon.

Through his multitude of teaching experiences, Mr. Olisar has had the opportunity to work with students from kindergarten to college in a wide variety of music contexts, including concert band, jazz band, marching band, pep band, general music, life skills, chorus, chamber ensembles, and individual lessons. In 2021, he received the Lucas-Hathaway Award for Excellence in Teaching by Part-Time Faculty from WU. As a performer, he has played clarinet, saxophone and bagpipes as a soloist and in a variety of chamber ensembles, bands and orchestras.

Mr. Olisar serves and continues his own development in the field of music education as site host of the annual Pittsburgh High Notes Festival, attendee and exhibitor at the annual Midwest Clinic: International Band, Orchestra and Music Conference and Pennsylvania Music Educators Association Annual In-Service Conference, and most recently one of the organizers and teachers of the Bridging Cultures Through Music Initiative in Bogotá, Colombia. He is also a member of the American School Band Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, and Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society.

B.F.A. Carnegie Mellon University