June 2015 Winner: Andrew Stephens
Andrew Stephens is a graduate of Rio Americano High School in Sacramento, California, and is currently a freshman at UC Berkeley. While at Rio Americano, Andrew played lead trumpet and was soloist in their award-winning AM Jazz Ensemble for all four years of high school. He has studied trumpet under the tutelage of Maurice Montgomery, Tom Peron, Larry Lunetta, Tiger Okoshi, and Steve Roach.
Andrew has attended summer jazz camps at California State University, Sacramento; the University of the Pacific; Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society Summer Camp in Northern California; Centrum Jazz Workshops in Port Townsend, Washington; and the 2012 Berklee School of Music Five-Week Summer Program on a full-tuition scholarship. In addition, he was honored to receive a lesson in the home of Wynton Marsalis in 2014.
In educational settings, Andrew has played with Joe Lovano, Eric Harland, Marcus Printup, Delfeayo Marsalis, Jason Marsalis, Donny McCaslin, Lew Soloff, the Brubeck Brothers, Wayne Bergeron, Ku-umba, Frank Lacy, Tia Fuller, Conrad Herwig, Ryan Kisor, Phil Wilson, Scott Whitfield, Larry Lunetta, Vijay Iyer, Mike Vax, Bob Draga, Walter Blanding, Wessell Anderson, Dr. Joe Gilman (of the Brubeck Institute UOP), Ted Nash, Reggie Thomas, Bria Skonberg, the Au Brothers, Sacramento State’s 4pm Jazz Ensemble, the Harley White Jr. Jazz Orchestra, and the Sacramento Jazz Orchestra.
With Rio’s AM Jazz Ensemble, Stephens performed at the 2012, 2013, and 2014 Essentially Ellington Festival; the 2013 and 2014 Charles Mingus Jazz Festival; the 2011 – 2014 Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival; Folsom Jazz Festival; and the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Youth Band Festival, receiving outstanding soloist awards at each of these events. With Rio Americano’s AM Jazz Ensemble, Andrew toured Spain in 2012 and Italy in the summer of 2014. He played at the Monterey Jazz Festival with the Rio Americano AM Jazz Ensemble from 2010 to 2013 and was the recipient of the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award from Rio American High School in 2014.
Andrew was selected to play in the 2013 and 2014 Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation Jazz Orchestra (NGJO), under the direction of Dr. Paul Contos. In the summer of 2013, the NGJO performed in New York City, Boston, the Montreal International Jazz Festival, and the Monterey Jazz Festival. In 2014, the NGJO toured Japan, performed at the Legends of Jazz Gala in Monterey, and performed twice on the Jimmy Lyons Stage at the Monterey Jazz Festival.
Andrew was selected to play lead trumpet in the 2014 Grammy Camp—Jazz Session. At the Grammy Camp, he spent ten days in Los Angeles, rehearsing and performing under the direction of Mr. Justin DiCioccio. This elite group of high school musicians from around the country attended the 56th Annual Grammy Awards Show, recorded a CD at Capitol Records, and performed at the prestigious Grammy nominee reception and after-ceremony party, as well as at various other venues during the week leading up to the award show.
In addition to being a dedicated musician, Andrew was also recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program as a Commended Scholar, by the College Board Organization as an AP Scholar with Distinction, and by the National Honor Society.
Andrew graduated from high school with honors in June 2014 and currently attends UC Berkeley as a math major (his other passion). He plays lead trumpet in UC Berkeley’s large jazz ensemble, under the direction of Steve Campos, and in an advanced jazz combo, under the direction of Dann Zinn. As the June 2015 Young Artist Award recipient, he will receive a one-year complimentary membership to ITG. Congratulations, Andrew!