Joel Mikulyak

I was born and raised in Northwestern New Jersey, and have experienced a personal connection with music since an early age. I began singing in church with my mother and playing guitar with my father. In fifth grade, I decided to start playing the trombone. Through high school and college, I studied classical and jazz, and have always enjoyed playing in wide variety of genres.

While in high school, I played with New Jersey’s regional and high school orchestras, concert bands, and jazz ensembles, and won the “Best Soloist” award at Hershey Park’s ‘Music in the Parks’ competition. Upon graduating, I began college as a music education major at Moravian College, in Bethlehem, Pennsylania. After two years, I transferred to William Paterson University, in Wayne, NJ, to study jazz performance. Through school, he had the opportunity to study with world-class musicians such as John Mosca, Jim McNeely, Neil Wetzel, Ralph Brodt, and David Demsey.

When transitioning between schools, I began playing with New Jersey’s premier cover band, Brian Kirk and the Jirks, and continue to work as a full-time member, playing almost 200 dates per year. Additionally, I have the honor to have been called to play with many incredible musicians, including: The Four Tops, The Pat McGee Band, Quincy Mumford, Phil Woods and the Coda Festival Band, Wycliffe Jean, and a variety of other fantastic ensembles.