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MASTERCLASSES

Masterclasses taught by world renown jazz artists presented by YLJC for students and community

Upcoming Masterclasses

Peter Erskine

May 17, 2022

Donations Welcomed and Encouraged!
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We are THRILLED to announce that the legendary drummer, Peter Erskine will be giving a masterclass to YLJC students!

Time & Place: TBD

Mr. Erskine is a two time Grammy Award winner and has played with everyone from Stan Kenton to Weather Report to Steps Ahead to ECM to Steely Dan to Joni Mitchell to Barbra Streisand, and many many more. His discography comprises 627 albums, not to mention all the film scores!

Check out his bio to get the complete rundown.

Past Masterclasses 

Joel Frahm

Nov. 23 2021

Donations Welcomed and Encouraged!
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For more than 30 years, Joel Frahm  lived in New York City, working in jazz clubs, collaborating with other musicians, and honing his craft. He now lives in Nashville, where he continues to play the music he loves. His bold, inventive tenor sound has won fans in the U.S. and across the world. He has worked alongside Betty Carter, Kenny Barron, Freddy Cole, Dianne Schuur, Kurt Elling, Jane Monheit, Bill Charlap, Brad Mehldau, Matt Wilson, Cyrille Aimee, and many other top artists. He has played as a leader or sideman on more than 100 recordings and has appeared at jazz festivals in the United States, Europe, Israel, Canada and South America. In addition to his work as a performer, he has taught jazz classes in clinics at the University of North Carolina, the University of Connecticut, New York University, Wichita State University, the University of North Texas, Baylor University, Colorado State University, Furman University, the University of Toronto, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, the University of Manitoba and others. He also has worked at the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation program; the Sant Andreu Youth Jazz Orchestra in Barcelona, Spain; the Dave Brubeck Institute in Stockton, California; the Center for Jazz Studies at the Israel Conservatory in Tel Aviv; the Czech Jazz Workshop in Prague; and the Siena Jazz Workshop in Italy. Joel grew up in Racine, Wisconsin and moved to West Hartford, Connecticut as a high school freshman, where he became part of the acclaimed Hall High School jazz band. It was there he developed a passion for jazz, exploring the music of jazz greats such as Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard, Horace Silver and Wayne Shorter. In 1992, he received a bachelor’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music.  

Anthony Wilson – Online Event

Nov. 17, 2020

See Anthony WIlson perform Monday Nov. 16, 2020 with pianist Gerald Clayton, drummer Jay Bellerose, and bassist David Piltch. Presented by Authenaeum Music & Arts Library 

Guitarist and composer Anthony Wilson will be giving an in-person masterclass for a few select students. The masterclass will be streamed live to the rest of the YLJC student body and the community via Facebook live and YouTube Live.Born in Los Angeles in 1968, guitarist and composer Anthony Wilson is known for a body of work that moves fluidly across genres. The son of legendary jazz trumpeter and bandleader Gerald Wilson, his musical lineage has deeply influenced his creative trajectory, compositional choices, instrumental groupings, and the wide-ranging twelve album discography that blooms out of them. An inventive soloist and sensitive accompanist, he has been a core member of Diana Krall’s quartet since 2001, after joining her for a series of concerts in Paris at the Olympia Theater, which became the Grammy award winning recording and concert film Live in Paris (2002). Over the past two decades, Wilson has joined a diverse roster of jazz masters on their recordings and performances, including Ron Carter, Mose Allison, Bobby Hutcherson, Madeleine Peyroux, Joe Sample, Al Jarreau, and Harold Land. And while his footing is firmly rooted in the jazz idiom, Wilson pivots with ease into other genres, having contributed his instrumental texture and improvisational authority to albums by pop music legends Paul McCartney, Willie Nelson, Leon Russell, Aaron Neville, and Barbra Streisand. Wilson was awarded the Thelonious Monk Institute International Composers’ Award in 1995. He has also received commissions from Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, the International Association of Jazz Education, and the Henry Mancini Institute. In 2018, he was selected as a MacDowell Colony fellow.

Gerald Clayton – May 3, 2020

Gerald Clayton attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts; USC’s Thornton School of Music, where he studied piano with Billy Childs; and the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Kenny Barron.

He has performed and recorded with Roy Hargrove, Diana Krall, Ben Wendel, Dianne Reeves, Terri Lyne Carrington, Ambrose Akinmusire, Dayna Stephens, Kendrick Scott, Ben Williams, Terell Stafford & Dick Oatts, Michael Rodriguez, Avishai Cohen, Sachal Vasandani, Gretchen Parlato, and the Clayton Brothers Quintet. Clayton also has enjoyed an extended association since early 2013, touring and recording with saxophone legend, Charles Lloyd. 2016 marks his second year as Musical Director of the Monterey Jazz Festival On Tour, a project that features his trio with Ravi Coltrane, Nicolas Payton, and Raul Midón.

Charles McPherson – Sunday, June 9, 2019 at 12 PM

Charles has toured the U.S., Europe, Japan, Africa and South America with his own group, as well as with jazz greats Barry Harris, Billy Eckstine, Lionel Hampton, Nat Adderly, Jay McShann, Phil Woods, Wynton Marsalis, Tom Harrell, Randy Brecker, James Moody, Dizzy Gillespie, and others.
McPherson has recorded as guest artist with Charlie Mingus, Barry Harris, Art Farmer, Kenny Drew, Toshiko Akiyoshi, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra, and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. He has recorded as a leader on Prestige, Fantasy, Mainstream, Discovery, Xanadu, Arabesque, Capri and several smaller labels in Europe and Japan.
Charles was the featured alto saxophonist in the Clint Eastwood film “Bird,” a biopic about Charlie Parker. Charles has received numerous awards, including the prestigious Don Redman Lifetime Achievement Award and an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from California State University San Marcos. Charles performed this past April at the NEA Jazz Master’s 2019 performance during Stanley Crouch’s tribute. Widely recognized as a prolific composer, Charles is now Resident Composer for the San Diego Ballet, where he has written three original suites for chamber music and jazz combos. In the summer of 2019, Dr. Donnie Norton will compile the entire book of Charles’ compositions for publication.

John Clayton – February 25, 2018

Grammy Award–winner John Clayton will hold a master class on Sunday, February 25. Clayton founded the famous Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra with his brother, saxophonist Jeff Clayton, and drummer Jeff Hamilton in 1985. He is the Artistic Director of several jazz festivals and teaches at The University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. We are excited for him to share his knowledge and love of music with our students and the community.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Is Tuition?

Tuition is paid by the acendemic year.  Students can also join for the second semster (if there are spots available for their instrument).

  • $1000 for the acedemic year
  • $600 for the second semester only

Siblings receive a 50% percent discount.

There are no registration or material fees.

Do You Offer Scholarships?

Yes, we believe no child should miss out on the opportunity and enrichment that music education provides. To be considered for a scholarship, families should submit a scholarship application prior to the deadline.   Click Here for more details.

How Many Students In A Class?

Ensembles have an average of seven students each.

What's The Class Schedule?

Classes meet once a week for 90 minutes. The majority of classes are held on Saturdays and Sundays. Some classes may be held in the evenings during the week. Class schedules are not set until after the audition process.

What Is The Placement Process?

Placement is administered by faculty, and each student's audition is carefully reviewed. Students are placed in ensembles based on their ability demonstrated in the audition video.

Unfortunately we cannot accommodate requests to be placed in a particular ensemble. The best way to get placed in higher-level ensembles is to practice!

How Many Classes Can I Miss?

In order to maintain the cohesiveness of each ensemble, and to be eligible to participate in external performance opportunities, students must not have more than two unexcused absences during the season. An absence is “excused” only as expressly determined by ensemble instructors. 

If a last-minute emergency arises, students should notify their ensemble leader at the earliest possible opportunity. All other excused absences should be presented to ensemble leaders at least one week ahead of time for approval. Examples of excused absences include: college preparatory testing, funeral, family emergency, and illness.

Can I Join Mid Year?

Yes, mid-year auditions are held every December for the upcoming spring semester. Keep an eye on the website for dates or email us at info@yljc.org, and we'll notify you when placement auditions are announced.

Do I Have To Know How To Read Music?

Yes, YLJC has minimum requirements for the audition process, and reading music is a necessary component. Please view our audition requirements to learn more.  

Do You Offer Big Band?

Yes, we have a big band! Members are hand picked by our Artistic Director, Gilbert Castellanos.  

Do You Teach Different Types Of Jazz?

Yes, our curriculum represents many styles of music including traditional jazz standards from the American songbook, Afro Cuban, Latin Jazz, Bossa Nova, Samba Music, Funk Jazz, Traditional Jazz, Bebop, Postmodern Bebop, and Modern Jazz just to name a few. Students are also encouraged to write music for their ensembles.