Juilliard Jazz Ensemble
Wynton Marsalis, Director
Aaron Flagg, Chair and Associate Director
Anika Adilifu, Administrative and Production Manager
Alex Ball, Jazz Operations and Library Manager
Wyatt Camery, Jazz Administrative Apprentice
Now entering its 23rd season, Juilliard Jazz offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees and the Artist Diploma. Juilliard Jazz alumni are Grammy winning recording jazz artists, leaders of touring ensembles, members of major jazz ensembles, leading jazz educators, musical directors, composers, orchestrators and arrangersfor film,stage and television. They include bassists Russell Hall, Philip Norris, Endea Owens, and Luke Sellick; drummers Sarah Gooch, Charles Goold, Jerome Jennings, and Kyle Poole,; pianists Jon Batiste, Kris Bowers, Esteban Castro, Aaron Diehl, and Micah Thomas:saxophonists Abdias Armenteros, Braxton Cook, Paul Nedzela, Lucas Pino, Alexa Tarantino, and Immanuel Wilkins; trumpeters Summer Camargo, Etienne Charles, Giveton Gelin, Anthony Hervey and Brandon Lee; trombonists Chris Crenshaw, Michael Dease, Nick Finzer, Marshall Gilkes and Alba Pujals; guitarists Aayushi Karnick,Jake Kelberman, Felix Lemerle, and Miles Okazaki ; and vocalists Olivia Chindamo, Robbie Lee, Gillian Margot and Ekep Nkwelle.
The curriculum combines classroom, private studio, and performance ensemble courses with substantial interactions with jazz masters, annual recording opportunities, multiple performance opportunities in diverse venues around the city and the world. The repertoire studied covers the entire jazz continuum, highlights its American vernacular roots, and emphasizes the social and cultural vitality of the music.
During the 2024-25 season, the Grammy-nominated Juilliard Jazz Orchestra will perform nine concerts and Juilliard Jazz Ensembles will give at least 17 performances, while students will put on solo recitals and perform around the city.
In New York City, the 54 students in Juilliard Jazz present concerts on- and off-campus in venues including Alice Tully Hall, Blue Note Jazz Club, Dizzy’s Club, and Juilliard’s Paul Recital Hall Page 2 of 2 and PeterJay Sharp Theater. Juilliard Jazz students enjoy extraordinary opportunities to share their artistry around the U.S. and the world in person and via livestreams.
Over the last several years, students have performed with the Albany Symphony, Princeton Symphony, and Juilliard Orchestra at festivalsin Amsterdam, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Cod, the Cayman Islands, and Japan, and in clubs in China, Italy, Mexico, and Switzerland. In addition to weekly rehearsals with Juilliard faculty, student ensembles will work this year with guest artists in ensembles rehearsals, Studio Classes, and residencies. Recent guests include Corey Wilkes, Hermeto Pascoal, Arturo O'Farrill, Janis Siegel, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Jennifer Krupa (alum), Joe Lovano, Chris Potter, Scotty Barnhart, Chris Botti, Jeff Hamilton, Carmen Lundy, Nduduzo Makhathini, Don Vappie, and José Madera.
