Bruce Yurko, composer, conductor, and clinician, is currently an Adjunct Professor of Composition at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey.
Mr. Yurko received his Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Wilkes College and his Masters in Performance/Composition form the Ithaca College School of Music. He has studied French Horn with Douglas Hill and John Covert. At Wilkes College he corresponded with composer Vincent Persichetti and at Ithaca College studied Composition with Karel Husa and Conducting with Thomas Michalik and Frederick Fennell. He has also attended Conducting Workshops and studied with Donald Hunsberger, H.Robert Reynolds and Eugene Corporon.
He was Director of Bands at Madison High School from 1974 – 1981 and from 1981-2005 he was the Conductor of the Wind Ensemble, Orchestra and Chamber Music Program at Cherry Hill High School East and from 1982 -2002 was also the Conductor of the Cherry Hill High School West Wind Ensemble. In 1987 the Cherry Hill High School East Wind Ensemble was invited and toured the Soviet Union and Estonia as part of the President Reagan and Soviet President Gorbachev Cultural Exchange Program performing concerts in Moscow, Lenningrad and Tallinn Estonia. In February of 1998 Mr.Yurko and the Cherry Hill East Orchestra and East Singers, under the Direction of Laurie Lausi, made their concert debut in Carnegie Hall performing the Vivaldi Concerto Grosso in A minor for Two Solo Violins and the Beethoven Symphony No.5. In May of 2005 the Cherry Hill East Wind Ensemble and East Singers performed a concert at the Kimmel Center, home of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Mr. Yurko and The Cherry Hill East Wind Ensemble were awarded the “Citation of Excellence Award” by the National Band Association.
From 1999-2005 Mr.Yurko was the Conductor of the Princeton University Wind Ensemble and from 2007-2017 was an Adjunct Professor of Composition at Messiah College. Since 2005 he has been an Adjunct Professor of Composition at Rowan University.
He has guest conducted County, District, Regional and All State Honor Bands and Wind Ensembles across the United States as well as all three of New Jersey Region Wind Ensembles as well as the New Jersey All State Symphony Band and All State Wind Ensemble. His Chamber Music and Wind Ensemble/Concert Band compositions have been commissioned by Junior High Schools, High Schools, Colleges, University Bands and Wind Ensembles as well as The United States Air Force Band and the Eastman Wind Ensemble.
His music is published by Ludwig/Masters, Kjos, Kaiser Southern, C.Alan Music, Knightwind Music, Murphy Music and Cimmaron Music Press.