
Brubeck Jazz Summit
July 9-15, 2023
Inviting the finest young jazz musicians on the planet to train with top jazz professionals.
Brubeck Jazz Summit is a one-week, intensive educational program in jazz performance for 34 exceptionally talented students from around the world. Students join today’s top jazz faculty, guest artists, and master teachers for combo rehearsals, workshops, masterclasses, jam sessions, and performances for live audiences.
A living legacy of the musician and international statesman, Dave Brubeck, the Summit is hosted by Classical Tahoe at the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe campus on the North Shore of beautiful Lake Tahoe.

Who can Apply?

Age
Highly motivated students who are:
- In their sophomore, junior, or senior years of high school at the time of application.
- International students ages 15-18 at the time of application.
Instrument
Trumpet, trombone, saxophone, guitar, piano, bass, drums, and vocals are all encouraged to apply.
Important Dates
December 2022
Applications Open
March 31, 2023
Applications Due
July 9 – 15, 2023
Brubeck Jazz Summit
Program Pricing & Audition Materials
Applications for 2023 are now closed. Please check back in the fall for 2024 applications.
Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know when applications open for 2024.
Program Pricing:
$2,000. Includes tuition, housing with linens, and meals on-campus at University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe. (Airfare not included). Financial aid scholarships are available. Please email your interest in a scholarship to jazz@classicaltahoe.org.
2023 Audition Materials:
Vocalists:
- Sing a blues of your choice, including at least 3 choruses total of: scatting/improvising, lyrics, and/or vocalese.
- Sing “My One Bad Habit” by Dave and Iola Brubeck, including one full chorus with lyrics. Verse is encouraged/optional. Addition of improvisation is optional.
*If not using a live band, we recommend using Jamey Aebersold Jazz, Volume 105 “Dave Brubeck – In Your Own Sweet Way” as a reference/backing track.
Horns/Pianists/Guitarists/
- Play a blues melody of your choice and improvise for at least 3 choruses.
- Play “In Your Own Sweet Way” by Dave Brubeck with melody and at least 1 chorus of improvisation.
- Bassists should demonstrate “walking”, soloing is optional (but encouraged)
*Recordings may be with a live rhythm section or backing track. Audio does not need to be professionally recorded.
*If not using a live band, we recommend using Jamey Aebersold Jazz, Volume 105 “Dave Brubeck – In Your Own Sweet Way” as a reference/backing track.
*Pianists and Guitarists should “comp” behind another soloist for at least one chorus.
Drummers:
- Play a blues of your choice with a live band, “comp” for at least 1 chorus and solo and/or trade for at least 3 choruses.
- Play “In Your Own Sweet Way” by Dave Brubeck with a live band. “Comp” for at least 1 chorus and solo or trade for at least 1 chorus.
Testimonials


2023 Artistic Directors
Roxy Coss, Artistic Director
Musician, Composer, Bandleader, Educator and Activist Roxy Coss received the 2022 Downbeat Critics’ Poll “Rising Star” award on Soprano Saxophone, is a recipient of the ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award, the Hothouse Magazine & Jazzmobile “Tenor Saxophone” Award, and is a Jazziz Magazine “Artist to Watch”. She has performed around the world, headlining at the Newport Jazz Festival, Melbourne Big Band Festival, NYC Winter JazzFest, BRIC JazzFest, Earshot Jazz Festival, San Jose Jazz Summerfest, Jazz Standard, and Jazz Showcase. Coss has performed as a side musician with Jazz greats and luminaries including Clark Terry, Billy Kaye, Maurice Hines, Rufus Reid, Louis Hayes, Gene Perla, Houston Person, Claudio Roditi, Bill Charlap, Geoffrey Keezer, Willie Jones III, Jeremy Pelt, Darcy James Argue, the DIVA Jazz Orchestra.
Roxy has six albums out under her own name, including her latest release, Disparate Parts (Outside in Music), which was met with critical acclaim. Her fifth album Quintet (Outside in Music), received a 4-Star review from Downbeat. The Roxy Coss Quintet, featuring some of the world’s finest young musicians, is the first-ever recipient of the Emerging Artist Project, a four-year grant from the Local 802 Musicians Union. They largely perform Coss’ original compositions. Her composition work can also be found on Jeremy Pelt’s recording, Face Forward, Jeremy (High Note).
Coss grew up in Seattle, WA where she attended the acclaimed Garfield High School Jazz Ensemble, and graduated from William Paterson University in 2008 with a BM in Jazz Studies/Performance. She has been living in the New York area since 2004. Roxy currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Jazz Education Network (JEN), is Jazz Faculty at The Juilliard School, and is the President & Founder of Women In Jazz Organization (WIJO). She is also an endorsing Artist for P. Mauriat, Vandoren, and Key Leaves products.
Lucas Pino, Artistic Director
Tenor Saxophonist Lucas Pino works frequently as a sideman for artists including Gideon van Gelder, Richard Boukas, David Lopato, Bryan Carter, Rafal Sarnecki, Nick Finzer, and Jeremy Siskind. His past performance experience also includes Dave Brubeck, Curtis Fuller, Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, Christian McBride, Carl Allen, Benny Green and David Sanborn. Lucas has traveled to play in Australia, Poland, Spain, Britain, The Netherlands, Brazil, Costa Rica, as well as throughout the United States and Canada. He has appeared at venues such as the Blue Note, Dizzy’s, The Jazz Standard, Yoshi’s, The Jazz Kitchen, The Rex, and Chicago Symphony Hall. As a leader, he has maintained a monthly residency at Smalls with the No Net Nonet since March 2013.
Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Lucas grew up singing hymns in church, and in the choir at school. He started playing saxophone at age 10, and the first music he ever listened to was jazz. As a high school junior, Lucas won the Downbeat award for Best Instrumental Soloist in 2004. He attended the Brubeck Institute from 2005-2007, where he studied closely with Dave Brubeck. Lucas finished his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Jazz Performance at The New School in 2009. He attended Juilliard from 2009-2011, where he received a Master of Music.
Lucas’ major influences on the saxophone include Stan Getz, Lucky Thompson, John Coltrane, Michael Brecker, and Chris Cheek. Compositionally, he is heavily influenced by the sound of big band, and composers including Wayne Shorter, Maria Schneider, Walt Weiskopf, Thad Jones.
“Sound is like a rainbow, you hear every color. On the saxophone, the entire tonal and color palate should be available. I like to draw on a wide range of influences even within one solo, going from a very bright to dark sound, using straight tone or subtone. Music should be operatic, dramatic, and full of gesture. It should tell a story and sing a song simultaneously. Music should be a stimulus that activates the listener’s imagination and transports them to another place, where anything is possible.” – Lucas Pino
2023 Faculty
Roxy Coss, Artistic Director & Saxophone
Lucas Pino, Artistic Director & Saxophone
Rachel Eckroth, Vocals & Piano
Bryan Carter, Vocals & Drums
Michael Rodriguez, Trumpet
Gerald Cannon, Bass

Past Faculty include: Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, Connie Han, Eric Harland, Gilad Hekselman, Sean Jones, Rodney Whitaker
2023 Guest Artists
Chris Brubeck
“A Grammy-nominated composer, Chris Brubeck has distinguished himself as a multi-faceted performer and creative force, creating an impressive body of symphonic work while maintaining a demanding touring and recording schedule with two groups: The Brubeck Brothers, and Triple Play, an acoustic trio featuring Chris on piano, bass and trombone, guitarist Joel Brown and harmonica player Peter Madcat Ruth. Chris also performs as a soloist playing his trombone concertos with orchestras, and is an in-demand composer. He has served as Artist in Residence with orchestras and colleges in America, coaching, lecturing, and performing with students and faculty. Chris (along with his siblings), is a founding director of “Brubeck Living Legacy” a non-profit founded by the Brubeck family to honor and continue the legacy of Dave and Iola Brubeck.
In addition to creating an impressive body of work, including several band pieces, chamber pieces, 3 concertos for trombone, a trombone quartet, and several concertos for stringed instruments and other ensembles, Chris maintains a demanding touring and recording schedule playing bass and trombone with his two groups: the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, with brother Dan on drums, Chuck Lamb on piano and Mike DeMicco on guitar (www.brubeckbrothers.com); and Triple Play, an acoustic jazz-funk-blues-Americana trio with Joel Brown on guitar and Peter Madcat Ruth on harmonica and Chris on bass, trombone and piano (www.chrisbrubeckstripleplay.com.)
Additionally, Chris performs as a soloist playing his trombone concertos with orchestras and has served as Artist in Residence with orchestras and colleges in America, coaching, lecturing, and performing with students and faculty. Once a year he tours England with the group Brubecks Play Brubeck along with brothers Darius (on piano) and Dan as well as British saxophonist Dave O’Higgins. Chris had been a long-standing member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet, writing arrangements and touring and recording with his father’s group for over 20 years. Dave and Chris co-wrote the orchestral piece “Ansel Adams: America” which has received dozens of performances and in 2013 was a Grammy finalist for Best Instrumental Composition. brubecklivinglegacy.com
Dan Brubeck
Born in Oakland on May 4, 1955, Dan Brubeck was a highly energetic child who found his calling at the trap set. Mentored by two consummate polyrhythmic masters, Joe Morello and Alan Dawson (at the Berklee College of Music), he was working professionally before he finished his teens.
Over the years Dan was featured on nearly a dozen albums with his father, and toured widely with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, including many appearances with the world’s leading orchestras. He’s been an integral part of the various Brubeck bands, including the Darius Brubeck Ensemble, Two Generations of Brubeck, and the New Brubeck Quartet. He’s toured internationally and recorded three widely played albums with his electric jazz group, The Dolphins, and co-led the Brubeck LaVerne Trio with his brother Chris and pianist Andy LaVerne. A stylistically versatile musician, he’s toured with acts ranging from The Band and David Benoit to Gerry Mulligan and Paul Desmond. He’s recorded with jazz guitar legend Larry Coryell, singer~songwriter Livingston Taylor, jazz~pop singer Michael Franks, and pioneering blues guitarist Roy Buchanan.
Dan’s drumming style is both mesmerizing and unparalleled, and his distinctive, and astonishingly textured drum solos have received standing ovations all over the world! His uncanny sense of timing and use of odd time signatures, combining melodic phrases with polyrhythms that often stretch far beyond the bar line, has earned the respect of many jazz critics worldwide. His mastery of complex rhythms has led to his reputation as one of the most talented and creative drummers in jazz!
Dan continues to perform and record with his siblings — Chris Brubeck, a bassist, trombonist, and noted composer, in the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, and pianist/composer Darius Brubeck in Brubecks Play Brubeck. Dan also plays with the Vancouver-based Dan Brubeck Quartet (DBQ), featuring vocal powerhouse Adam Thomas. The DBQ recently released Celebrating the Music and Lyrics of Dave and Iola Brubeck, which showcases his father’s music and little-known lyrics of his mother. This recording was nominated for a coveted Juno Award in 2016.
“Dan turned in one of the most masterful and inspiring performances I have ever witnessed.” — MODERN DRUMMER Magazine
Frequently Asked Questions
Location
Brubeck Jazz Summit is held on the campus of the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe. The University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe is in the community of Incline Village on Lake Tahoe’s north shore in Nevada.
291 Country Club
Incline Village NV 89451

Program Pricing
$2,000. Includes tuition, housing with linens, and meals on-campus at University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe. (Airfare not included)
Financial Aid
Financial aid scholarships are available. Please email your interest in a scholarship to jazz@classicaltahoe.org.
Transportation to Reno/Tahoe
The arrival airport is Reno-Tahoe International Airport, where Brubeck Jazz Summit staff will meet students and transport (a 45 minute drive) to the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe. Reno-Tahoe International Airport offers 23 non-stop flights serviced by 9 airlines, with convenient connections from virtually any city in the US and abroad.
Students and parents driving to Tahoe will be given a timeline for arrival.
Additional Information and details on transportation by plane, train and shuttle can be found here.
Instruments & Equipment
Students should bring their own instruments and equipment, with the exception of drums, bass, and amplifiers which will be provided by Brubeck Jazz Summit.
Questions?
For questions and more information, please email Stephanie at jazz@classicaltahoe.org.
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Brubeck Jazz Summit 2022

Brubeck Jazz Summit 2022. photos by Austin Kruczek and Lindsay Stover.
Faculty 2022
Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, 2022 Artistic Director & Saxophone
Connie Han, Piano
Eric Harland, Drums
Gilad Hekselman, Guitar
Sean Jones, Trumpet
Rodney Whitaker, Bass
Students 2022
Saxophone
Nico Colucci, 18, Colorado Springs, CO
Aidan Farrell, 17, Agoura Hills, CA
Isaiah Javier, 17, Brentwood, CA
Ryan Kaplan, 15, Miami, FL
Jacob Merrill, 17, Ithaca, NY
Nathan Palmer, 18, Menlo Park, CA
Emma Rawicz-Szczerbo, 20, UK
Trevin Snow, 18, Las Vegas, NV
Trumpet
Zeb Jewell-Alibhai, 16 , Durham, NC
Tai Wieler, 16, Carmichael, CA
Trombone
Andre Perlman, 17, Miami, FL
Sebastian Zamarripa, 18, Walnut Creek, CA
Andrew Zhang, 18, Sammamish, WA
Guitar
Simon Aks, 17, San Francisco, CA
Casey Kendrick, 17, Stockton, CA
Vincent Maclauchlan, 16, Oakland, CA
Alejandro Merlos, 18, Orangevale, CA
Piano
Sahn Cannon, 19, Brentwood, CA
Isaac Goodman, 19, Sacramento, CA
Brenda Greggio, 18, San Diego, CA
Talli Kimani, 18, Lynnwood, WA
Robert Tweedie, 22, Australia
Bass
Carlos Bareto, 19, Cape Coral, FL
Emile Berlinerblau, 17, Washington DC
Nicholas Doan, 16, Long Beach, CA
Cass Evans-Ocharern, 22, Australia
Marco Lenzi, 17, Menlo Park, CA
Joel Vettel, 17, San Diego, CA
Drums
Max Bartron, 17, Edmonds, WA
Chris Davis, 20, UK
Reese Hsu, 16, San Carlos, CA
Samson Hulett, 21, Sacramento, CA
Adarian Roberts, 17, Duncanville, TX
Calvin Simmers, 18, Tuscon, AZ
Concerts & Events 2022

Brubeck Brothers with the All-Star Faculty
Thursday, July 14 | 7pm
Classical Tahoe Pavilion
Brubeck Brothers with the All-Star Faculty Concert
Chris Brubeck, trombone
Dan Brubeck, drums
with
Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, saxophone
Sean Jones, trumpet
Connie Han, piano
Gilad Hekselman, guitar
Eric Harland, drums
Rodney Whitaker, bass

Summit Stars Student Showcase
Friday, July 15 | 7pm
Classical Tahoe Pavilion
Free community jazz concert featuring Summit Stars Students, top jazz students from around the world. This performance is the culmination of the mentorship and study from the Summit: July 10 – 16.
Free and open to the public. More info to come soon.
Free with reservation.
Subscribe to the Brubeck Jazz Summit Newsletter

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