Justin McCulloch: Flagler Youth Orchestra Strings Educator

Justin McCulloch began his life in music at the age of six after bugging his parents for a year to give him violin lessons.  At the age of 11, McCulloch joined the school music program in South Carolina and was encouraged to play the violin with the advanced ensembles and learn the double bass (because of his big hands) with the rest of the group.  Throughout middle and high school he participated in All-State programs on both instruments. McCulloch attended the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY where he studied with James Van Demark and earned a degree in double bass performance and a Certificate in Music Leadership from the Catherine Filene Shouse Institute for Music Leadership.  McCulloch interned with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra during his senior year and helped develop the “Music Educator Award Brunch” in recognition of Rochester’s music teachers.

He received his Masters in Music from Duquesne University after studying with Jeffrey Turner, Principal Bassist of the Pittsburgh Symphony.  McCulloch currently performs on a part-time basis with the Sarasota Orchestra, and occasionally with the Jacksonville and Brevard Symphony Orchestras.  McCulloch is also an avid chamber music performer and private instructor at Daytona State College. He also teaches private lessons in the central Florida area. His interests in music are professional double bass performance, teaching youth orchestra, and conducting.

McCulloch is happily married to a native of Venezuela, and has two children. He loves reading all types of books, comics, spending time with his family, being a financial educator and music. He is fluent in Spanish and is very active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he served as a missionary for two years and currently continues to serve in a variety of assignments.