BIRTHPLACE: Manhattan, NY

• Lived in Yonkers, NY until the age of seven and then moved to Stillwater, PA in 1976.

FAVORITE FOODS

• Italian
• Pizza (NY Style)
• Cheeseburgers

SCHOOLS

• (K-1st) Public School No. 4 - Yonkers, NY
• (2nd-6th) L.R. Appleman Elementary School - Benton, PA
• (7th-12th) Benton Area Jr.-Sr. High School - Benton, PA (1987)
• (Bachelors Degree) Mansfield University of Pennsylvania - Mansfield, PA (BM - 1993)
• (Masters Degree) Boston University - Boston, MA (MM - 1995)

INTERESTS (Elementary through High School)

• Baseball (Tee Ball, Little League, Teener League, Varsity)
• NEW YORK YANKEES!!
• Karate
• Computers
• Science Fiction Shows (specifically BattlestarGalactica and Star Wars)
• Writing
• Drawing
• Astronomy
• Building Stuff!
• Co-Editor and Co-Layout Editor of School Newspaper
• 80's Metal Bands
• The tuba - but you knew that!

INTERESTS (College through NOW)

• NEW YORK YANKEES!!
• Business - Marketing and Advertising
• Reading Business Books
• Rock music from the 80's to present stuff. (Still a Bon Jovi fan!)
• Astronomy (Not heavily - just when they discover new stuff!)
• The Sopranos
• The Apprentice
• My Cats! (Daphne and Oliver are THE greatest cats in the world!!)
• The tuba - but you really should have known that!!
• TubaStudio.com (My online tuba store!)

BRASS QUINTETS (founder)

• Stillwater Brass (1988-1989)
• The Five of a Kind Brass (1989-1993)
• The Premier Brass (1993-1996)
• The Brass Alternative (1996-1998)
• INNOVATA (1998-present)
• Brass Sect (2006-present)
• Member of numerous others.

TEACHERS (Both long term and just a lesson or two)

• Richard E. Martin - the guy that started me on tuba in 5th grade and guided me through high school and beyond. (1952-2002) May he rest in peace.
• Donald A. Stanley - My first private instructor. Former tuba/euphonium instructor at Mansfield University. He kicked my butt and is THE reason I'm doing what I'm doing. He never gave up on me!
• J. Samuel Pilafian - World renown tuba player! My teacher at Boston University and one of the most influential people on my playing!
• Stephen P. McEuen - Great trombonist and the trombone/euphonium/tuba instuctor at Mansfield University
• Dave Unland - Great tuba player, cool guy and the tuba/euphonium instructor at Ithaca College
• Chuck England - Great tuba player, wonderful guy and the tuba player in the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic
• Charlie Villarubia - Rhythm & Brass (Great guy and incredible player!)
• John Manning - Atlantic Brass - Great guy and one of the most musical tuba players I've ever met!
• Warren Deck - former New York Philharmonic (Need I say more?)
• Jay Crush - Chestnut Brass - Fantastic tuba player and one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet!
• Roger Bobo - World renown tuba player!

IMPORTANT GROUPS AND PEOPLE

• The Brass Menagerie (First professionl gig! A dietary convention in Hershey, PA - $50 and dinner at the extraordinary Hotel Hershey!!)
• The Catawissa Military Band (Community Band that my high school band director conducted. Really challenged me!)
• Bloomsburg University-Community Orchestra (College/Community Orchestra that I played in my junior and senior years of high school and then for the 1989-1990 school year.) Thank you Dr. Mark Jelinek!!

IMPORTANT PEOPLE THAT INFLUENCED WHERE I AM NOW

• My parents - Bob and Gloria Milnarik - without them I wouldn't be anywhere!
• My grandmother - Helen Kochon - She bought me my first tuba and my parents paid her back a little every month until it was paid off. I still own it!! (1918-1996) May she rest in peace.
• Richard E. Martin - the guy that started me on tuba in 5th grade and guided me through high school and way beyond! (1952-2002) May he rest in peace.
• Donald A. Stanley - My first private instructor. Former tuba/euphonium instructor at Mansfield University. He kicked my butt and is THE reason I'm doing what I'm doing. He never gave up on me!
• Bruce P. Wilkins - my role model in high school - the guy I always wanted to be like! One of my best friends to this day!
• Susan Trate - my high school chorus teacher and one of my biggest fans!
• Andy Yozviak - a trumpet player that I played with in the Stillwater Brass back in 1988. He probably doesn't remember this but he helped me turn a very important corner that influenced the direction of my entire career. I haven't seen him since then! Boy do I owe him one!
• Marcos Max Valls Martin - one of my best friends. My balance. The only person on this planet that knows exactly how to defuse me, immediately!
• Karen Antonio-Muenzinger - one of my best friends. My psychologist and my support group. Without Karen "they" probably would have taken me away in a straight jacket already!! Karen is one of the strongest people I know!!
• Last, but certainly NOT least, my wife - Sanae Kanda. My source of inspiration and drive. My musical accompanist, as well as my life accompanist. Sanae is THE most talented person I've ever met. She's a phenominal pianist, an incredibly gifted composer, a caring teacher, a top level designer hand bag maker, a wonderful cook, an extremely capable visual artist (sketch artist and Chicken Breast - ask her about it!) and a scholar! Jackpot!!