Bryan Kolk is a music educator, conductor, and bassist from Michigan. He received a Bachelors of Music Education and Masters in Double Bass performance from the University of Michigan. He studied conducting at the Pierre Monteux School, the University of Michigan Wind Conducting Symposium, and the Sherborne Summer School in England. He has directed orchestra programs at Caledonia High School (MI), Troy High School (MI), and currently works as the Orchestra Director and Fine Arts Department Head at Garfield High School in Seattle’s Central District.

Bryan has previously served as Assistant Conductor of the Dearborn Youth Symphony, Everett Youth Symphony, and Bainbridge Island Youth Symphony. During the summers, Bryan conducts the Masterworks Orchestra at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in West Michigan and has been a part of the administration of SYSO’s Marrowstone Music Festival since 2011. In his free time, he loves to go hiking in the Cascades and Olympics with his partner and their energetic dog Pepper. This is Bryan’s third year conducting with SYSO, and his second working with introductory-level strings.