Justin T. Pomietlarz

Currently, in his 18th year of teaching at Amherst Central High School, Justin T. Pomietlarz serves as Director of Choral Activities and the Producer/Vocal Music Director of the Amherst Operetta Association. 

He was recently the recipient of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra/Erie County Music Educators Association (ECMEA) “Outstanding Music Educator of the Year Award,” and previously was recognized as the 2013 Amherst PTSA "Outstanding HS Educator of the Year." He has been selected as Teacher of the Month numerous times, and is also listed in “Who’s Who of American Teachers.”

As producer and musical director of the Amherst Operetta, he has led ambitious award-winning productions including Sweeney Todd, TITANIC, Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast, Les Miserables, SEUSSICAL: the Musical and Urinetown: the Musical to name a few. In 2018, ACHS students recently nominated Mr. Pomietlarz for the “Excellence in Theatre Education Award,” sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University and presented each year by the Tony Awards.

Under his direction, the Amherst Concert Chorale has appeared at Carnegie Hall with Choirs of America and MidAmerica Productions, and locally with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Western New York Chamber Orchestra, the Camerata di Sant' Antonio, the Orchard Park Symphony and the Amherst Symphony Orchestras. He also serves as the Chair of the ECMEA Senior High All-County Honors Mixed Chorus and accompanist and former chair of the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Zone I Area All-State Treble Chorus. 

Mr. Pomietlarz also serves as co-Music Director and Choirmaster of the historic Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in downtown Buffalo, where he conducts the semi-professional Chancel Choir, the Chapel Choir and oversees the Concert and Youth Choir programs. He studied piano with Robert Jordan and choral conducting with Gerald Gray and Donald Lang at SUNY Fredonia, with subsequent post-graduate study with William Weinert (Eastman SOM), Janet Galvan (Ithaca College) and workshops with, most notably, Dennis Keene and Craig Hella Johnson.