About Mr. Gattsek

Mr. Edward Gattsek serves as the Music Director at Freehold Township High School, where he has been directing the school's instrumental ensembles for over 27 years. In recent years, Mr. Gattsek has also taken on the role of choral director and teaches piano/keyboarding and music theory classes.

Under his leadership, the FTHS music program has achieved significant recognition, performing at some of the region's most prestigious venues. Highlights include performances at Carnegie Hall, Central Park, the USS Intrepid Museum, Riverside Church in New York City; Girard College and Franklin Park in Philadelphia; Liberty State Park, the Trenton War Memorial, the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, and the historic Old Tennent Church in Manalapan. 

The program has also maintained a strong community presence through countless performances at local venues including Trinity Church in Asbury Park, First Presbyterian Church, First Baptist Church, and Reformed Church in Freehold, and Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Manasquan. The ensembles have participated in numerous Memorial Day parades and originated the tradition of marching bands performing in costume at the Spooktacular Parade—a practice that has since been adopted by bands throughout the region.

Students from the FTHS Music Department have been accepted to All District, All Shore, Region II, All State, and All Eastern ensembles. Many graduates have gone on to successful careers as performers and educators, with three FTHS graduates now directing music programs within the Freehold Regional High School District—a testament to the lasting impact and legacy of the program.

A particular point of pride was the program's historically accurate Revolutionary War marching band performance at the Hedgerows on the Monmouth Battlefield, which was formally recognized by the New Jersey State Legislature for its educational and artistic merit.

Beyond FTHS, Mr. Gattsek has served as a guest conductor in multiple states and throughout the nations of Europe.  He has the honor of conducting All Shore and Region Bands at both the middle school and high school levels. He has contributed to the field of music education through published journal articles on technology in the music classroom and high school music recruitment strategies.

Mr. Gattsek is a recipient of the New Jersey Governor's Excellence in Education Award, was named FTHS Teacher of the Year in 2008, and received the All Shore Band Director of the Year honor in 2013. He is proud to work alongside talented colleagues and dedicated student performers who continue to elevate the school's music program to new heights.

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.