Mislav (he/him) received a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Bucknell University, where he participated in the orchestra, symphonic band, jazz ensemble, free improvisation ensemble, and Indonesian Gamelan ensemble. While studying at Bucknell he performed with Ray Anderson, Wycliffe Gordon, and Dave Liebman; he workshopped with artists such as Ethel, Sylvie Courvousier, Dominic Farinacci, Mark Feldman, and Ingrid Jensen. Mislav studied trumpet with Brian Kuszyk and Dale Orris, as well as Phil Haynes for improvisation. He received the Bucknell Prize in Music upon graduation.

Mislav emphasizes both physical and mental processes in his teaching: strong technical fundamentals and musical-intellectual engagement. He believes in creating a positive and nurturing environment with high expectations and space for students to discover what most inspires them about playing trumpet. Students can expect to work hard, learn music that they enjoy, and share and collaborate frequently.

Mislav has performed in numerous pit orchestras and churches and appears on recordings by Chris Gennett and Billy Kelly. He was a freelance performer and teacher in the Westchester, NY area for six years. Mislav spent as many years teaching instrumental music at a private school and performed with the Westchester Symphonic Winds from 2015 to 2019. He has composed over a hundred and fifty original albums as an experimental musician under the moniker Nyentek. In September, 2019 Mislav began teaching music in CPS schools and joined the Northshore Concert Band’s trumpet section. In January 2020 he joined the University of Chicago’s Middle Eastern Music Ensemble on the quarter-tone trumpet.