Justin Binek

jazz vocalist ~ pianist ~ educator ~ composer ~ arranger ~ clinician

biography

schedule

compositions
& arrangements

educational resources

ABOUT JUSTIN...

Justin Binek is the Head of Vocal Jazz Studies at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA, where he directs the UArts Jazz Singers, VOX pop a cappella ensemble, and the Caribbean Jazz Ensemble; teaches Jazz Improvisation, Musicianship, and Applied Voice; and serves as a voice department concert coordinator, accompanist and vocal coach. Under his direction, the UArts Jazz Singers performed 2008 International Society for Music Education (ISME) World Conference in Bologna, Italy; the ensemble has also given feature performances at the Berks Jazz Festival, the Ohio Jazz Summit, and the Delaware Music Educators Association, New Jersey Music Educators Association, and Collegiate Music Society Northeast Region Conferences. Justin has also helped UArts develop relationships with the Liverpool Institute of Music (LIPA) and the Projazz Escuela Internacional de Musica in Santiago, Chile; he was the recipient of the university's President's Award for Teaching Excellence in a Junior Faculty Member in 2007.

Justin also maintains an active jazz and classical performing schedule as a singer, pianist, steel pannist, and saxophonist, and clinician/adjudicator. He is an active arranger and composer whose works are published by Sound Music Publications. A contributing author to Diana Spradling's groundbreaking book, Jazz Singing: Artistry and Craft, Justin presented "The Ten Habits of Highly Effective Scat Singers" at the 2008 International Association for Jazz Education annual conference in Toronto, Ontario, and at the 2008 ISME World Conference. As a member of the Bartosz Hadala Quintet, he premiered a concert of sacred jazz music with Polish pianist Bartosz Hadala at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint James in Brooklyn on Palm Sunday 2007; the concert was later broadcast by the Prayer Channel.

Justin is a partner in the Heartland Vocal Camp for Jazz and Pop Singers in Tiffin, OH; teaches at the Halewynstichting Jazz Camp in Dworp, Belgium, and formerly served as director of the show choir and vocal jazz programs at the International Music Camp in Dunseith, ND. He is the Musical Director of the New Jersey Honors Jazz Choir program, and has directed numerous honors choirs at collegiate, high school, and middle school levels, including the 2007, 2008, and 2009 New Jersey Honors Jazz Choirs and 2009 Pennsylvania All-State Jazz Choir, and was the featured choral presenter at the 2007 Pennsylvania Music Educators summer conference. He has also presented workshops at the Delaware, New Jersey, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania Music Educators Association annual conferences.

Prior to joining the UArts faculty, Justin was the Director of Choral and Jazz Ensembles at the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND. Under his direction, the university's Concert Choir was prominently featured in the Public Television documentary "A Soulful Sound: The Music of the Germans from Russia." A North Dakota native, Justin received a BS: Music Education and a BA; Music Performancee from the University of Mary (2000). He then earned an MM: Voice Performance from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI (2002), where he was the Assistant Director of the award-winning vocal jazz ensemble "Gold Company" and received two DownBeat Student Music Awards.

Justin and his wife, Claire, a professional classical singer and member of the UArts voice department faculty, live in Philadelphia.