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Joseph M. Pisano, Ph.D., is an avid music advocate, jazz trumpet player, conductor, writer, educator, and industry innovator. At the age of 22, he was appointed the director of the Grove City College Jazz ensemble and was instrumental in developing both their jazz and music technology courses and integrations. Over the next twenty years, Dr. Pisano became the Director of Jazz Studies, where he taught Jazz Improvisation, directed the college’s Stage and Jazz Bands, and supervised various small jazz ensembles. Later in his collegiate career, he assumed the directorship of many instrumental ensembles, including the Pep Bands, Symphonic Concert Band, Marching Band, and Wind Ensemble, and became the Supervisor of the Pew Fine Arts Technical Facility.
Prof. Pisano retired from collegiate teaching in 2018 to pursue his passions in corporate innovation, technology, and research and accepted a Chief Innovation Officer role outside of academia. He currently holds the position of Vice President for Innovation and Engagement at Keystone Ridge Designs, Inc. in Butler, PA where he works to increase efficiencies, innovate new products, analyze research, engage personnel, and streamline the processes at the company.
Dr. Pisano received his Doctorate in Music Education with a Doctoral Minor in Instructional Technology from Kent State University. He earned a Master’s Degree in Instrumental Conducting from the State University of New York at Binghamton.
In addition to being a highly sought-after guest conductor for honor ensembles, Dr. Pisano remains a widely popular clinician and lecturer and has presented over 100 papers and clinics at universities and music conferences across the U.S. He was named the 2011 Mike Kovin’s TI:ME Teacher of the Year and has also been a recipient of the Pennsylvania Music Education Association’s Citation of Excellence and the Jazz Educator Network’s Outstanding Music Teacher Award. As a technology innovator, Dr. Pisano founded many online groups, including the Music Teachers and Jazz Educators FB groups, and frequently publishes at his long-standing music education blog, MusTech.Net.
Dr. Pisano wrote the Music Teacher’s Guide for the print magazine In Tune Monthly from 2012-2017. His articles have appeared in dozens of print magazines, including School Band and Orchestra, Teaching Music Magazine, Halftime Magazine, and Australia’s Education Solutions Technology Magazine. He recently finished his term as the President of the Collegiate Pennsylvania Bandmasters Association and is a member of many prestigious bands and music honoraries, which include: Phi Beta Mu International, the American Bandmasters Association, the National Band Association, and Pi Kappa Lambda.