Piano Masterclass

Keith Brown

Keith L. Brown is an accomplished composer, educator, and pianist, who has established himself as one of the most sought-after pianists in contemporary jazz. He was born in Memphis, TN, and raised in Knoxville, TN, where he began playing piano and bass at a young age. Keith grew up in a musically inclined family, where both his parents were musicians, and many of his aunts and uncles possessed exceptional musical talent. His father, Donald Brown, is a world-renowned jazz pianist, composer, and educator who was a part of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and has performed with many greats. His mother Dorothy is also a pianist who plays various woodwind instruments. Keith is currently the Assistant Professor of Jazz and Contemporary Piano at The University of Oregon.

Keith’s musical journey began by learning to play the songs of R&B artists like Stevie Wonder by ear. He then started taking classical piano lessons at the age of eight. His father played a pivotal role in nurturing Keith’s musical ambitions by teaching him how to play his original compositions and jazz standards. Keith and his brothers, Kenneth and Donald Jr., were deeply into hip-hop music during their formative years. However, Keith began to study jazz seriously after graduating from high school. It was during this time that he was significantly influenced by other great Memphis pianists such as Phineas Newborn Jr., James Williams, and Mulgrew Miller.

Since he began seriously playing at the age of 18, Brown has performed and recorded with a who’s-who of jazz luminaries.  He currently tours as the pianist for Kenny Garrett. His tours and performances with artists such as Stefon Harris, Russell Gunn, Jazzmeia Horn, George Coleman, Greg Tardy, Camille Thurman, Terreon Gully, Willie Jones III, Endea Owens, Charles Tolliver, Buster Williams, Lenny White, Steve Turre, John Clayton, and more have captivated audiences worldwide. Drawing on his roots in R&B, Funk, Classical, Jazz, and Hip-Hop, Brown’s unique composition and piano style seamlessly integrates these influences. He possesses an exceptional understanding of the language of jazz piano masters and can effortlessly transition between hard swing, funk, and free styles, while also showcasing his own distinct voice. With his innovative approach to jazz piano and his ability to seamlessly blend different musical styles, Keith L. Brown is a true standout in the world of contemporary jazz.

Guitar Masterclass

Avery Scanlon

Born and raised in Thousand Oaks, California, a suburban city approximately thirty miles north of Los Angeles, Avery Scanlon is a guitarist, composer, and arranger. Son of reputable Los Angeles woodwind player Brian Scanlon, Avery found his way to the guitar at the early age of five and began studying seriously at the age of ten. At the age of twelve, Avery began studying privately with legendary Los Angeles session guitarist Mitch Holder.

Avery prides himself as an exceptionally versatile guitarist, being able to sound comfortable and expressive in a number of different music genres and styles. Avery has played with or performed in masterclasses with noteworthy musicians such as Bennie Maupin, Myka Nyne, Dave Liebman, Steve Lehman, Gordon Goodwin, Alan Ferber, Tim Hagans, Katisse Buckingham and many others.

Additionally, he has had the opportunity to study with notable guitarists such as Gilad Hekselman, Julian Lage, Peter Bernstein, and Andrew Synowiec. In conjunction with his work as a performer, Avery is also an avid composer/arranger who often puts groups together to play his music. His compositional work spans from personal projects to commissioned pieces. 

In 2016, Avery began his collegiate studies at Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York, where he studied with guitarist Bob Sneider. In 2018, upon completion of his sophomore year, Avery transferred to California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, Santa Clarita, California, where he studied with guitarist Larry Koonse and graduated with a BFA in Jazz Guitar (2020). Avery also attended the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon, where he concurrently pursued a MM in Jazz Studies (2022) and taught as a graduate teaching assistant in the Jazz Studies and Popular Music areas. Avery is now a Pro-Tempore Instructor of Music at the University of Oregon and splits his time between the Eugene, OR and Los Angeles, CA areas.

Bass Masterclass

Tyler Abbott

Tyler Abbott teaches double bass, jazz bass, and music theory at the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance in Eugene, Oregon, and has taught at Walla Walla College and Willamette University. He maintains a private teaching studio in Eugene, Oregon.  He maintains an active performance schedule as an orchestral bassist, chamber musician, jazz bassist, clinician, and soloist, and has performed nationally and internationally with some of the finest musicians in both the classical and jazz music worlds.  He has recently performed with, or is a member of, the Eugene Symphony, Oregon Symphony, Aspen Festival Orchestra, Oregon Bach Festival, Spokane Symphony Orchestra, Oregon Festival of American Music’s “American Symphonia,” Eugene Opera Orchestra, Yakima Symphony Orchestra, Oregon Mozart Players, Salem Chamber Orchestra, and several other professional orchestras throughout the region and country. As a chamber musician, he has performed with the Oregon String Quartet, Chamber Music Amici, Pacifica Trio, Beta Collide, Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, Orli Shaham, Sharon Robinson, Vladamir Feltsman, Jamie Laredo, acclaimed contemporary soprano Lucy Shelton, and Hundreth Monkey, a contemporary ensemble based in Eugene, of which he was co-director.

As a jazz bassist, Tyler has performed with Steve Wilson, Ben Monder, Randy Porter, Roswell Rudd, Danilo Perez, Billy Childs, Chris Botti, Dave Pietro, Scott Wenholdt, Billy Kilson, Nancy King, Marcus Whitfield, George Mitchell, Arnie Caruthers, Ryan Keberle, Randy Halberstadt, Dick Hyman, Howard Levy, Warren Rand, Tom Grant, John Stowell, and many others. He performs regularly in jazz festivals and on radio broadcasts and has performed with a touring Broadway show. His recording with Toby Koenigsberg, Sense, was released on Origin Records and was met with favorable reviews in several publications.  Tyler has presented master classes at several universities and high schools, and presented at the 2011 International Society of Bassists Convention in San Francisco, CA. His playing can be heard on the soundtrack to the documentary Fly Away Beetle, released in 2011.  He performed on Hashem Assadullahi’s project Pieces (featuring Ron Miles, and also including James Miley, Justin Morell, and Ryan Biesack), to be released in 2012.

Tyler studied double bass with Roma Vayspapir (former principal bass of the Leningrad Philharmonic), Bruce Bransby (former principal bass of the Los Angeles Philharmonic), Jeff Bradetich (international soloist and pedagogue), Don Hermanns (Oregon Symphony), Lynn Seaton (Professor of Jazz Bass, University of North Texas), Dave Captein (Portland-based freelance jazz musician), Ken Baldwin (former assistant principal of Oregon Symphony), Curtis Daily (Seattle Baroque Orchestra, Portland Baroque Orchestra), Eugene Jablonsky, and has studied briefly and/or participated in master classes with Hal Robinson, Edgar Meyer, Al Laszlo, and Eugene Levinson.  He traveled to Gorizia, Italy to study with Christina Hoock, bass professor of the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria.  He attended the Aspen Music Festival and School for five years and attended the Atlantic Music Festival, where he was the only fellowship recipient on bass.

Drum Set Masterclass

Ken Mastrogiovanni

Oregon-based drummer, Ken Mastrogiovanni, brings a unique sensibility and modern voice to the drums and the music, making him a rising musician of his generation in his music scene. 

 The very early years of his music environment was shaped by his older brother’s j-pop, ska, and electronic bands, as well as listening to the latest jazz and avant-garde music his father played at home. This would subconsciously influence his musical interests and vocabulary going forward. 

 Starting drum set at eleven, his musical adventure was fueled by many important mentors, eventually leading him to recent performance opportunities as a sideman with such artists as Jaleel Shaw, George Colligan, Dick Oatts, Jim Rotondi, Keith Brown, and Mhondoro. 

 He completed his M.M. in Jazz Studies at the University of Oregon, and is now the drum set instructor at his alma mater, chairs a similar post and duties at Lane Community College, and maintains his own private lesson studio. 

 Producing under the title, “kenthemaestro”, he creates beats that transcend genre, collaborating with MCs and other creative musicians, and releases his own beat projects. 

Saxophone Masterclass

Idit Shner

An active performer of both jazz and classical music, Idit has played in various distinguished venues in the United States and abroad, such as The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and Lincoln Center in New York.

Her latest project, Mhondoro, blends Zimbabwean folk music and American jazz. Mhondoro released their first album, Heatwave, in 2022 and are about to release their second album soon. Additional jazz releases include Live at The Jazz Station, 9 Short Stories (which garnered a 4-start review in Downbeat magazine) and Tuesday’s Blues. Jazz festival performances include the Diet Coke Woman in Jazz Festival (NY), Bellayre Festival (NY), and New-Trier Jazz Festival (IL).

Idit appears on Music from SEAMUS Vol. 16, a compilation CD of music for instruments and electronic sounds by members of the Society for Electroacoustic Music in the United States.

As a classical saxophonist Idit has commissioned and recorded new music and performed solo recitals in the US and Israel. MINERVA is her latest classical release. Her third CD, Le Merle Noir, featuring music by Messiaen, Bozza, Partos, and Glass, was released on Origin Classics in August 2013. Her previous classical recording, FISSURES: 20th Century Music for saxophone and Harp with renowned harpist Yumiko Schlaffer, received great acclaim and was played on NPR’s All Things Considered. Idit has collaborated with Fireworks, Beta Collide and Third Angle (new music ensembles), and performed with the Oregon Symphony and the Eugene Symphony. Other appearances include the Northwest Percussion Festival, Electronic Music Midwest, the Oregon Bach Festival, and many North American Saxophone Alliance Conventions. During March 2006 she played in Israel as a featured soloist with a symphonic orchestra, and performed contemporary music at the national convention of the Society for Electro Acoustic Music in the US. Her last solo recital in Israel was broadcasted live on Voice of Music, a national public radio station.

Idit holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Oklahoma City University, a Masters degree in Music Education from University of Central Oklahoma, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from University of North Texas. Idit now teaches at the University of Oregon, as professor of saxophone and jazz studies. She was awarded three prestigious teaching awards: The 2015 Thomas F. Herman Award for Excellence in Pedagogy in areas of saxophone technique and chamber music coaching; the 2016 University of Oregon Faculty Excellence Award; and a Philip H. Knight Endowed Chair in 2019.

Trumpet Masterclass

Paul Krueger

Paul Krueger is a trumpeter, composer, arranger, and educator, and the newly appointed Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance. He is the director of the Oregon Jazz Ensemble and teaches courses in jazz pedagogy and jazz arranging, as well as lessons in jazz trumpet, improvisation, and composition/arranging.

A versatile trumpeter and improviser, Krueger has also published numerous works for large jazz ensemble. A three-time winner of a Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award, his music for large jazz ensemble has been performed internationally by artists such as Steve Wilson, Kendrick Scott, and Eric Alexander. He performs frequently in the Pacific Northwest with artists such as Joe Manis, Roger Woods, Keith Brown, and more.

Inspired to pursue a career in music education by his parents–both music teachers–Krueger brings a wealth of expertise and a dynamic approach to his teaching. Outside of his academic commitments, he is dedicated to engaging with students in the community and fostering a love for jazz and improvisation among youth. He is highly sought-after as a clinician and holds key roles such as the director of the UO Summer Jazz Improvisation Camp, co-director of the Oregon Jazz Festival, and director of the UO Day of Improvisation, an annual, free one-day workshop tailored for high school students.

Before his appointment at the University of Oregon, Krueger served as trumpet instructor at Willamette University and music instructor at Lane Community College. Under his direction, the Lane Jazz Ensemble was recognized as the community college winner in the large jazz ensemble category of the Downbeat Student Music Awards. Krueger holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2009), and a Master of Music degree in Jazz Studies from the University of Oregon (2011).

Trombone Masterclass

Henry Henniger

Henry Henniger, joined the University of Oregon faculty as Assistant Professor of Trombone in the fall of 2010. Previously, he held faculty teaching positions at Oregon State University and Linfield College. Henry started his musical career at Indiana University, where he received his bachelors in trombone performance. His masters was received at Manhattan School of Music where he was a member of the prestigious Orchestral Performance program. Upon graduating with his masters, Henry was awarded the John Clark Award, given for excellence in brass performance.

Active as a soloist and orchestral musician, Henry is principal trombone of the Eugene Symphony and the Oregon Ballet Theatre. Previously, Henry had been principal trombone of the Portland Opera for 8 years. He also performs frequently with the Sunriver Music Festival, Oregon Bach festival, Oregon Symphony, Spokane Symphony, and the Seattle Symphony. Henry has been a featured soloist with several orchestras and wind ensembles throughout the region including Central Oregon Symphony, Linfield College Wind Ensemble, Oregon State Wind Ensemble, University of Portland, University of Oregon and the Vancouver Symphony (WA). As a chamber musician, Henry has performed with Axiom Brass, Imperial Brass, the Orebonians Trombone Quartet, and currently with the University of Oregon Brass Quintet. While playing with Imperial Brass, Henry recorded under Summit Records and was featured as a soloist on their Bone-A-Fide Brass album. Henry has recorded under Sun King Productions, Emeritis Records and Orange mountain Music labels.

Equally active as a music educator, Henry has given guest recitals and master classes across the nation. Including such places as: Indiana University, Appalachian State University, Illinois University, Colorado State University, University of Wyoming, University of Colorado, Louisiana State University, Alabama University, Southern Mississippi University, Drake University, and University of Missouri. Internationally, Henry has performed in Guanzhau, China for the Xinghai Conservatory and for the Macau Band Directors Association in Macau China. Henry also performed for the American Oversees school in Rome, Italy. More recently, Henry hosted the Alessi Seminar; an international trombone seminar directed by Joseph Alessi of the New York Philharmonic.

Through the years Henry has been fortunate to study with some of the most legendary brass virtuosi, including Scott Hartman, Carl Lenthe, David Finlayson, Per Brevig, Peter Ellefson, and Joseph Alessi.