Biography
John D. Rojak joined the American Brass Quintet in 1991. He is bass trombonist with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, IRIS, New York Pops, Little Orchestra Society, Stamford Symphony, and played for the 16-year run of Broadway’s Les Misérables. He has performed and recorded with the New York Philharmonic, Orpheus, New York Chamber Symphony, and as solo trombone of Solisti NY. He has performed with the Cleveland Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony, for Pope John Paul II in New York's Central Park and St. Patrick's Cathedral, and for Pope Francis in Madison Square Garden. As part of Gunther Schuller’s handpicked orchestra he was involved in the recording of Brahms’ First Symphony and Beethoven’s Fifth for a collaborative CD to Mr. Schuller’s book The Compleat Conductor. Mr. Rojak has performed with many ballet companies, including the Bolshoi, Kirov, Royal, Netherlands Dance Theatre, China, and San Francisco. In addition to classical recordings, he can be heard on soundtracks for commercials and film, and played with Metallica, Peter Gabriel, and Styx.
As a soloist and clinician, Rojak was the first bass trombonist to be artist in residence at Quad City Arts in Illinois and Iowa and has been featured at the International Trombone Association Workshops in Champaign-Urbana, Boulder, and Salt Lake City, as well as performing Eric Ewazen's Concerto for Bass Trombone with the Daejon, Korea, Philharmonic. He has given master classes and recitals throughout the U.S., Japan, Mexico, and Australia, been visiting trombone instructor at the North Carolina School of the Arts, and adjudicator for competitions including Concert Artists Guild, Fischoff, and Coleman.
In the spring of 2000, Rojak made his New York concerto debut, performing Walter Ross’ Trombone Concerto No. 2 in Alice Tully Hall with the New York Chamber Symphony, Gerard Schwarz conducting. The piece was recorded and is featured on Rojak Rocks on Navona Records. He has been featured with the trombone section of the Brass Band of Battle Creek, and played the solo trombone part with Vladimir Spivakov and the Moscow Virtuosi in the North American premiere of Schnittke’s Five Fragments Based on Paintings of Hieronymus Bosch for Violin, Trombone, and Tenor in Avery Fisher Hall. His first solo recording, The Romantic Bass Trombone with pianist Robert Koenig on MMC Records, was critically acclaimed in several trade journals. Other solo recordings are Rhapsody for Bass Trombone and Strings composed by Eric Ewazen with the Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra on the Albany CD, Bass Hits, and The Essential Rochut on Belle records. He has collaborated on chamber music recordings with Andrew Violette, David Sampson, and Jeffrey Nichols.
Rojak received a Bachelor of Music degree from Juilliard and was a fellow at the Tanglewood and Waterloo Music Festivals. He is on the faculties of Juilliard, Colorado College Summer Music Festival, and the Aspen Music Festival and School.