We Are Improvisers! COVID-19 Update
YLJC's response to COVID-19 has been (and will continue to be) strategic and focused on safety. The pandemic crisis is far from over but we are proud to be able to bring some joy and a sense of...
Congrats To YLJC’s Class Of 2020!
Congrats To YLJC's Class Of 2020! 👏They are our the YLJC Class of 2020 🎓 A class that has persisted through the unthinkable and the unpredictable. Each of these students was born in the wake of...
Summer Workshop Announced
YLJC is proud to announce our 2020 Summer Workshop – Online. Open to all ages, and students can join from anywhere in the world. We have an amazing faculty lined up and different attendance options...
New Soil Ensemble Wins Downbeat Magazine’s Student Music Award
Congratulations to YLJC’s New Soil Ensemble for taking the win in the High School Honors Ensemble category for the 43rd annual Downbeat Magazine Student Music Awards! NEW SOIL ENSEMBLE Instructor -...
Jazz Explorations with Gilbert Castellanos – New Online Series
We are pleased to introduce an online series presented every Sunday at noon! Join us for some exciting “jazz explorations” sessions hosted by Gilbert Castellanos. The presentations will be different...
YLJC Moves To Online Classes Due To COVID-19
Young Lions Jazz Conservatory has moved to remote instruction - week two wrapped up today! To ensure that we do our part to help with the community responsibility of social distancing during this...
YLJC Student Connor Gilbert Receives the VAPA Spotlight Award
We are happy to announce that Connor Gilbert, bass player in our "Free For All" and "Blue Train" ensembles, will receive a Spotlight Award from the San Diego Unified School District’s Visual and...
YLJC Student Taichi Okumura Wins International Golden Classical Music Award!
We are proud to announce that 12-year-old conservatory student Taichi Okumura has been awarded first prize in the prestigious International Golden Classical Music contest and has been invited to...
New Soil Ensemble to Play at Monterey Jazz Fest!
We are thrilled to announce that our New Soil Ensemble, led by Gilbert Castellanos, has been selected to perform at the Monterey Jazz Fest this September! They are only one of two ensembles selected...
DownBeat Magazine Honors Nick Caldwell!
A HUGE congratulations to Nick Caldwell, a 13-year-old sax player in our program. He won DownBeat Magazine's award for Junior High School Honors Outstanding Performance, Tenor Saxophone! We are all...
In the News:Monterey Jazz Festival shines the spotlight on San Diego talent
From April 5 to April 7, 2019, our "New Soil Ensemble" directed by Gilbert Castellanos competed at the Next Gen Jazz Festival in Monterey. This competitive, audition-only festival brings out the...
Vote!Young Lions Jazz Conservatory Nominated for Best Music School in San Diego!
Vote for for Young Lions Jazz Conservatory for Best Music School in San Diego! Follow link to vote: https://bit.ly/2x9rryW Thank you San Diego CityBeat for the nomination!