Staten Island native Jose Luis Diaz Jr. currently serves as the Marching Band Director at Wagner College, instructing the Seahawk Athletic Bands and Concert Band while overseeing the instrumental lesson program and other ensemble offerings. He was named the Director of Wagner College’s relaunched Marching Band in March 2013.
Jose Luis also serves as the Band Director for St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School. Additionally, he serves as the Fife and Drum instructor at St Adalbert School and assists with the instruction of the Port Richmond High School Marching Band. Previously, he served as Orchestra Conductor at Saddle River Day School (NJ) where he conducted the Lower, Middle, and Upper School Orchestras. Prior to arriving at Saddle River Day, he worked at Moore Catholic HS where he served as Music Director (2002-2012). He took on the added role of Chairperson of the Performing Arts Institute (2005-2012) and returned as Band Director (2015-2018).
Under the direction of Jose Diaz, the Seahawk Marching Band as performed at the 5th Ave. Columbus Day parade, the Veteran’s Day Parade, the St Patrick’s Day Parade, as well as the 50th anniversary of the Verrazano Bridge and at events for the Roadrunners association. “New York City’s Hometown Marching Band” has also performed in three Major Motion Pictures including the Lionsgate film NERVE (2016), the Brad Pitt/Netflix production OKJA (2017) and the Marvel/Sony film SPIDERMAN: FAR FROM HOME (2019). The Seahawk band also performed in two episodes of the NBC series RISE (2018). Jose Luis also hold a composition credit for NERVE (Lionsgate) and an arranger credit for SPIDERMAN: FAR FROM HOME (Sony/Marvel).
As an instrumentalist, Jose Luis is trained in classic and jazz guitar, standard and upright bass, piano, woodwinds, and percussion. He currently serves as the accompanist at St Joseph by-the-Sea and Great Kills Moravian Church.
A graduate of the College of Staten Island, where he earned a B.S. in Music and later a M.S. in Educational Administration from St. John’s University. He is currently perusing a second Masters in Higher Education, Organizational Leadership at Wagner College.
