Justin Klarer is a 1994 graduate of Murphysboro High School in Illinois. Mr. Klarer earned his bachelor’s degree in Music Education in 1998 from the Louisiana State University School of Music. Mr. Klarer has completed requirements for his master’s degree in Music Education at the Eastern Illinois University at Charleston and the Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Mr. Klarer plans to pursue his Doctorate of Music Arts degree at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas.
Mr. Klarer was the Director of Orchestras at Parkway West High School in Ballwin, Missouri in 2000 and Director of Bands at the middle school in Marion, Illinois from 2000-2002. He was also the Color Guard Designer for Crimson Express from 1998-2007. Justin assumed directorship of the Murphysboro High School Band program in the summer of 2002. The Murphysboro High School band program won many state and national titles during Mr. Klarer’s tenure. A few highlights of their successes include representing the State of Illinois in the 2006 National Memorial Day Parade in Washington D.C., being a two time state concert band class champion at the Illinois State University Concert Competition, and being one of only four class 2A high schools in the state to be selected to the prestigious Illinois Super-State Concert Festival held at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of the University of Illinois at Champaign.
Mr. Klarer was recently selected as the 2005 recipient of the "Caring to Challenge Award," presented annually to outstanding educators in Illinois, through the Illinois Math and Science Academy. In addition, he was appointed to the 2005 Illinois Math and Science Academy Admissions Review Committee. He was also included in the 2005 Who’s Who Among American Teachers, and is a past recipient of the “Caring to Challenge Award.” In 2006 Justin was awarded a Citation of Exellence in education by the National Band Association on the campus of the University of Illinois at Champaign.
Mr. Klarer's primary personal and professional influences include Alysha Baratta, Dr. Harry Begian, Robert "Bob" Hills, Nicholas Koberstein, Dr. Joseph Manfredo, Dr. Linda Moorhouse, Dr. Christopher Morehouse, Richard Norem, Patti Roussel, and Frank B. Wickes.
In the summer of 2007, Justin accepted a position with the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada as Director of Bands at Arbor_View_High_School ]Arbor View High School.