In Spring 2014 there were three student graduates from the MIC trumpet studio, all of whom performed in the annual Spring studio recital.

Julian Newman, who started trumpet in 5th grade in group lessons at Baker Demonstration school, is now attending University of Wisconsin- Madison. While at E.T.H.S., Julian performed with the ETHS Marching band, Symphonic, and Jazz bands as well as for the “Yamo” Production in his senior year.

Jerry Sun is attending University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. He performed as a member of the MIC trumpet quartet for several years, and as Principal Trumpet with the New Trier Chamber Orchestra in his senior year. Here is a link to his performance of the first movement of the Kent Kennan Sonata for Trumpet from the 2014 Spring MIC studio recital.

Michael Werner, currently a Junior at Evanston Township Highschool, studied at MIC for about 10 years, performing in the advanced ensemble by 7th grade. He is now concentrating on Jazz performance, and has been extremely active, taking part in some of the top jazz programs in the country, including Birch Creek  and the Vail Jazz workshop which wrote the following about Michael:

MICHAEL WERNER, 16, Trumpet | A native of Evanston, IL, Michael picked up a trumpet at six and focused on classical playing, adding jazz to his repertoire six years later. He has played with the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra and with a variety of other award-winning big bands and combos at various venues and competitions. Michael has also toured France and the Netherlands with Midwest Young Artists playing in a brass ensemble, symphony orchestra, big band and combo configurations. He was awarded Outstanding Soloist at the Purdue Jazz Festival, Evanston Jazz Festival, and New Trier Jazz Festival. He won first prize in the Billy Strayhorn Composition Competition held by the Music Institute of Chicago, where he also won a merit scholarship. Michael is also involved with outreach community service for the Music Institute of Chicago. He enjoys playing many styles of jazz and lately has gravitated to hard bop and modern playing styles. Michael especially likes the playing of Woody Shaw, Clifford Brown and Vail Jazz Workshop alumnus (2000) Ambrose Akinmusire. He looks to the Vail Jazz Workshop for learning a lot of new tunes, going beyond bebop, and absorbing everything he can from the Workshop’s first-string students and instructors.

All three of these students can be found in the photo below – in their formative years! Congrats to all our MIC Grads! Please keep in touch!!