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Jay Wardeska

Jay Wardeska

Jay Wardeska

Graduate Associate

wardeska.3@buckeyemail.osu.edu

Areas of Expertise

  • Instrumental Music Education

Education

  • BME, Mount Union College
  • MM, Instrumental Conducting, Kent State University

Jay Wardeska, a graduate teaching associate in music education, is pursuing a PhD in Music Education. He holds a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting from Kent State University where he studied with Wayne Gorder, and a Bachelor of Music Education from Mount Union College. Wardeska taught middle and high school music in the State of Ohio for 30 years. Bands under his direction performed at a number of state and national events including the Ohio Music Education Association Professional Development Conferences, the Ohio Band Directors Conference, the NAfME-Disney Honors Festival, the U.S. Army Band President’s Cup Concert, the University of Akron Concert Band Clinic, and partnership concerts with a number of university band programs. Wardeska has been the recipient of a number of honors and appointments, including being named the 2013 National Band Director of the Year by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and the U.S. Army Band. Additional awards and appointments include selection to the NAfME U.S. Army All-American Band Directors Academy, Grammy Quarterfinalist for the Music Educator of the Year, the Medina County Arts Council’s Service to the Arts Award, National Band Association Citation of Excellence, and the National Excellence in Teaching Award. He is a Martha Holding Jennings Foundation Jennings Scholar, an Ohio Department of Education Master Teacher. An active adjudicator and clinician for concert band, marching band and solo and ensemble, Wardeska currently serves the Ohio Music Education Association as the Adjudicated Events Committee Chair. Other professional memberships include Phi Beta Mu and the American School Band Directors Association.

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