Dr. Justin Antos

Dr. Justin Antos  is currently the Director of Bands and Orchestras at Dwight D. Eisenhower High School in Blue Island, Adjunct Professor of Music Education at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, and most recently, the Director of Bands at Saint Xavier University in Chicago. Since joining the Dwight D. Eisenhower High School staff in 2009, Antos took an instrumental music program of one band of just over 40 students and transformed it into three curricular bands, two curricular orchestras, and a guitar program, now serving a total of over 300 students. His concert bands, marching bands, jazz ensembles, and orchestras have earned numerous 1st Place finishes and Division I ratings over the past several years at various state and national festivals. Antos also conducts Eisenhower High School’s award-winning show choir combo, musical pit band, mariachi band, and pep band, and facilitates 15 different chamber ensembles. He has taught music full-time to students ranging in age from Pre-K through college in the domains of band, orchestra, choir, and general music, and maintains his own private lesson studio in his community.

Outside of his teaching responsibilities, Antos is a respected scholar who has published several articles in practitioner and academic journals and has presented at numerous music education conferences throughout the United States. He has received prestigious awards from The University of Chicago, Auburn University, VanderCook College of Music, and Saint Xavier University for his work in music education and was just recently named one of ten Regional Teachers of the Year by the Illinois State Board of Education. Moreover, Antos frequently performs as a freelance percussionist and studio musician in the Chicagoland area and operates his own home recording studio where he provides free demo recordings for up-and-coming artists. Antos is currently endorsed in K-12 Music and K-12 General Administration in the state of Illinois and holds National Board Teaching Certification in Instrumental Music Education. Antos earned B.M. degrees in both Music Education and Percussion Performance from Saint Xavier University, an M.M. degree in Music Education from Boston University, an M.M. degree in Instrumental Conducting from Central Michigan University, an M.A.Ed. degree in School Improvement Leadership from Olivet Nazarene University, and Ed.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Music Education from Auburn University.

• Methods of Teaching Music

• 2022 Yamaha “40 Under 40”
• Regional Teacher of the Year by the Illinois State Board of Education
• Prestigious awards for Music Education from:
  • The University of Chicago
  • Auburn University
  • VanderCook College of Music
  • Saint Xavier University

Antos, J. M. (2021). This is music education. Illinois Music Educator, 81(3), 16-17.

Antos, J. M. (2019). An investigation into how contest outcomes affect student attitudes toward competitive marching band. Journal of Band Research, 55(1), 18-48.

Antos, J. M. (2017). High school students’ attitudes toward competitive marching band: A comparative analysis based upon contest rankings(Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from Auburn University Electronic Theses/Dissertations Database. (http://hdl.handle.net/10415/5688)

Antos, J. M. (2016). 5 facts about music competition. Instrumentalist, 70(6), 6-8.

Antos, J. M. (2013). Starting a string orchestra from scratch. Instrumentalist, 67(11), 24-26.

Antos, J. M. (2019, November). Improving rehearsal efficiency with score study: Preliminary techniques for instrumental music teachers. Poster presentation at the 2019 National Association for Music Education National Conference, Orlando, FL.

Antos, J. M. (2018, November). Does competitive marching band meet the educational and musical needs of all students? Poster presentation at the 2018 National Association for Music Education National Conference, Dallas, TX.

Antos, J. M. (2018, November). Demystifying the dissertation. Conference session at the 2018 Community High School District 218 Teacher Fair, Oak Lawn, IL.

Antos, J. M. (2018, January). High school students’ attitudes toward competitive marching band: A comparative analysis based upon contest rankings. Poster presentation and “Spotlight on Research” session at the 2018 Illinois Music Education Conference, Peoria, IL.

Antos, J. M. (2014, June). High school band directors’ opinions of the top ten original works for band. Paper presentation at 2014 Ed.S. defense, Auburn, AL.

Antos, J. M. (2012, November). Writing the next hit single. Conference session at the 2012 Community High School District 218 Teacher Fair, Blue Island, IL.