Justin Stahl is a native of Beech Grove, Indiana. Beginning at age five with the encouragement of his great-grandfather, Justin was mostly self-taught in piano and organ. His passion for music has reached many venues that have included accompanying for several choral departments, contributing as his church's music director, playing for community theatre, and serving for over thirteen years in the Indiana Army National Guard's 38th Infantry Division Band.
Theatre organ has always been an "advanced hobby" of Justin's and it has taken him to performance venues across the country. He has entertained thousands of patrons of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra for the past five years for their annual Yuletide Celebration concerts as organist, playing the 3/24 Wurlitzer installed at the Hilbert Circle Theatre. Justin was a featured artist at the 59th ATOS Convention held in Indianapolis in 2014.
Highlights for 2015 included performances on the Bob Markworth 3/24 Kimball residence organ in Omaha, Nebraska and on the 3/30 Wurlitzer installed in the Public Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
In January of this year, Justin performed on the 4/28 Robert Morton organ in the Municipal Hall Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. Upcoming dates in 2016 include concerts in Indianapolis at the Warren Performing Arts Center’s 3/18 Barton and in Detroit on the Senate Theatre’s historic 4/34 Wurlitzer.
A graduate of Marian University with a Bachelor's degree in piano performance, Justin presently serves as accompanist of choirs at Decatur Central High School, while writing choral/instrumental arrangements for several choir departments. His approach and philosophy includes the continued promotion of the theatre organ by using a wide base of musical genres.
Justin recently issued his first CD recording, performed on the 3/24 Hilbert Circle Wurlitzer. This is also the first official recording of that instrument which was installed by Carlton Smith Assoc. of Indianapolis, the same firm that restored the console of the RTOS-Grierson organ in the late 1990s. Copies of Justin’s new CD will be available for purchase at the concert.
