Bruce Yurko

Bruce Yurko

Biography

Bruce Yurko (b. 4 April 1951, Dover, N.J.) is an American composer and conductor.

Mr. Yurko received his bachelor's degree in music education from Wilkes College and his master's degree in performance/composition from the Ithaca College School of Music. He has studied horn with Douglas Hill and John Covert, and while at Ithaca College studied conducting with Thomas Michalik and Frederick Fennell. He has also attended the College Band Directors National Association’s conducting workshops with Eugene Migliaro Corporon, H. Robert Reynolds, and Donald Hunsberger, and was a composition student of Karel Husa. From 1974 to 1981 Mr. Yurko was director of bands at Madison High School in Madison, New Jersey.

Since 1981 Mr. Yurko has been the director of the wind ensemble at Cherry Hill High School East in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Additionally at Cherry Hill High School East, he directs the chamber wind ensemble, brass ensemble and orchestra. In 1987 the Cherry Hill High School East Wind Ensemble toured the Soviet Union, performing in Moscow, Leningrad and Tallinn Estonia and in 1998 the orchestra performed in Carnegie Hall. From 2000 to 2004 Mr. Yurko conducted the Princeton University Wind Ensemble and is now the director of music for the Wennonah Presbyterian Church. He is also professor of composition at Rowan University.

Mr. Yurko has guest conducted the New Jersey All-State Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, All South Jersey Region III Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, North Jersey Region I Wind Ensemble, and Central Jersey Region II Wind Ensemble. Mr. Yurko’s Chant and Toccata was awarded first prize by the Virginia Intercollegiate Band. His Concerto for Horn and Concerto for Percussion and Wind Ensemble were featured in the Florida State University's Festivals of New Music and were performed by the University Wind Orchestra, conducted by James Croft. His Concerto for Percussion and Wind Ensemble has been performed by the Eastman Wind Ensemble, conducted by Donald Hunsberger. Jack Stamp premiered his Concerto for Flute and Wind Ensemble with the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Wind Ensemble, Terry Wacker soloist, and Eugene Migliaro Corporon recently premiered “emc-x,” a wind composition commissioned by the Gamma Theta Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia of the University of North Texas.

Mr. Yurko is a member of the Music Educators National Conference, The World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, Who’s Who Among Teachers, The College Band Directors National Association, and the New Jersey Music Educators Association. In 1990 the National Band Association awarded Mr. Yurko and his Wind Ensemble at Cherry Hill High School East the Citation of Excellence Award.

Works for Winds

• After Sunset
• Ankrovag Fanfare, from A Jack Stamp Suite (2017)
• Chant and Toccata
• Concerto no. 2 for Bassoon and Wind Orchestra
• Concerto for Flute and Wind Ensemble
• Concerto for Horn
• Concerto for Percussion and Wind Ensemble (2014)
• Danza No 2 (2008)
• Danza No 3
• DF-XXXVII Fanfare (2018)
• emc-x
• In Memoriam: Dean Witten (2019)
• In Memoriam: Karel Husa (2018)
• In Memoriam: Kristina (1997/2002)
• Intrada for Wind Ensemble (2002)
• Medieval Variations
• Metamorphosis (2019)
• Night Dances (1994)
• Night Dances No 2 (2013)
• Pastoral Nocturne (1996)
• Red Tail Skirmish (2012)
• Scenes for Wind Ensemble (2015)
• Sinfonietta
• Stained Glass Windows (2013)
• TMCC Fanfare (2022)

Resources

• Genevro, Bradley J. "Stained Glass Windows." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 10, Compiled and edited by Richard Miles, 812-818. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2015.
• Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. "Bruce Yurko." Accessed 12 May 2015.
• Miles, Richard B., and Larry Blocher. (2010). Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 1. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 515.
• Yurko, Bruce. "Danza No. 2." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 6, edit. & comp. by Richard Miles, 480-485. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2007.