About Mr. Gattsek

Mr. Edward Gattsek serves as the Music Director at Freehold Township High School, where for 25+ years he’s been directing the Symphonic Band, Marching Band, Pit Orchestra, Jazz Band, Choir, Chorale and Wind Ensemble.  Additionally he instructs courses in Piano/musical keyboarding.  Mr. Gattsek also has extensive experience teaching music theory, International Baccalaureate Music, and Music for Students with Special Needs.  

Mr. Gattsek has been honored to direct several of the area’s honor bands. The All Shore Symphonic Bands (both middle and high school levels), and the CJMEA/Region II Intermediate and High School Bands have all been led by Mr. Gattsek. In the mid-2010's he co-directed multiple tours leading 150-student performing musicians through eight European nations. Mr. Gattsek has also led sessions in Alexander Technique at Rutgers University.

Mr. Gattsek is a recipient of the NJ Governor’s Excellence in Education Award and was FTHS Teacher of the Year in 2008. He was also named the All Shore Band Directors' Association's 'Band Director of the Year'.  Mr. Gattsek is an active adjudicator and clinician in addition to being a freelance trumpet player, and music arranger. He has authored articles on both band recruitment at the secondary level and the use of technology in the music classroom.

Mr. Gattsek is a native of Freehold, NJ. He is a summa cum laude graduate of both The College of New Jersey (Trenton State College) and Teacher's College, Columbia University, where he received a B.M. and an M.A., respectively, in Music Education with an emphasis on trumpet. Mr. Gattsek resides in Monmouth County, NJ, where he lives with his wife, Jo Ann Lamolino, a freelance trumpet player in the NY Metropolitan Area.