Eight Exceptional Musicians Form the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA Class of 2023
Announcing the Arrival of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance's Class of 2023
In a remarkable development, eight talented young musicians have been selected for the prestigious Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA, Class of 2023. This elite ensemble program is renowned for its high level of jazz musicianship and training.
The selected musicians, each with their unique talents, will spend the next two years honing their skills under the guidance of world-renowned jazz masters, composers, and educators. Herb Alpert, the philanthropist and namesake of The Herb Alpert School of Music, expressed his excitement for the new group, stating that they would have the opportunity to learn one-on-one and as a group from jazz masters during the pandemic.
Among the eight musicians are Art Baden, a tenor saxophonist who studied at the Hanze Prince Claus Conservatoire and Berklee College of Music, and placed third in the Michael Brecker International Saxophone Competition. Devin Daniels, an alto saxophonist, has participated in various music education programs in partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District and has awards from YoungArts, Vandoren Young Artists Competition, The Music Center, and the Charles Dolo Coker Jazz Scholarship Foundation.
Julien Knowles, a trumpeter, received the Presidential Scholarship and the Agnes Barringere Music Memorial Endowment to attend the University of Nevada, Reno, and has played trumpet and composed for the Reno Jazz Orchestra. Darynn Dean, a vocalist, graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music and has performed with Freddie Cole, Dave Holland, and Hubert Laws, among others.
Emiliano Lasansky, a bassist, has won numerous honors, including a DownBeat Student Award and two residency fellowships at the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Workshop, and has performed with Dennis Mackrel, Jimmy Greene, and Harold Danko. Matthew Stubbs, a clarinetist, graduated magna cum laude from the Berklee College of Music and later received a M.M. in Contemporary Performance from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, and has performed with Danilo Pérez, Kenny Werner, and Rakalam Bob Moses, among others.
Benjamin Ring, a drummer, has studied with Ndugu Chancler, Peter Erskine, Will Kennedy, Vince Mendoza, and Patrice Rushen, and has performed across Europe, Japan, and the United States with various artists. Javier Santiago, a pianist, won first place in the 2015 American Jazz Pianist Competition and received the 2016 McKnight Fellowship for Musicians, and has released two albums on the Ropeadope label.
The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA presents high-profile concerts and leads jazz education and community outreach programs in Los Angeles, across the United States, and around the world. Upon completion of the intensive, two-year program in spring 2023, the musicians will attain a Master of Music in Jazz Performance degree from The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.
The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, a nonprofit education organization established in 1986, offers college-level training by internationally acclaimed jazz masters and presents public school-based music education programs for young people around the world. The Institute preserves, perpetuates, and expands jazz as a global art form, and utilizes jazz as a means to unite people of all ages, backgrounds, and nationalities. All of the Institute's programs are provided free of charge to students, schools, and communities worldwide.
The musicians were selected through a rigorous application process judged by Herbie Hancock, Herb Alpert, and Ambrose Akinmusire. World-renowned jazz masters serve as Artists-in-Residence, teaching and performing with the students. In recent years, the students have performed at International Jazz Day events in St. Petersburg, Russia; Havana, Cuba; and the White House.
The Class of 2023 ensemble has been featured in public performances and projects, contributing to the afro-futurist jazz scene and engaging with audiences through live events showcasing their talents as rising jazz artists. Alumni from the Institute have been recognized for integrating artistry with cultural and musical heritage, often participating in jazz events and collaborative recordings, indicating that the Class of 2023 continues this tradition.
The Institute itself is known for nurturing musicians who go on to significant achievements in jazz performance and composition, linking them with industry legends and participation in major jazz festivals and recordings. Graduates from the program, like those in the 2023 cohort, have received fellowships and professional development opportunities that propel their careers in jazz.
In summary, the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA Class of 2023 represents a group of highly skilled jazz musicians trained under a distinguished program, performing professionally in the jazz community while continuing the institute's mission to foster the next generation of jazz artists.
While honing their unique Jazz talents under world-class mentors, the musicians of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA Class of 2023 can expect an enriching combination of both education-and-self-development and entertainment opportunities. With the goal of becoming the next generation of jazz artists, these musicians will take center stage in performances, contributing to the evolution of the afro-futurist jazz scene and engaging audiences with their extraordinary talents.
