Dr. Courtney Jones

The newest directions in 21st Century trumpet performance are being explored and defined by Courtney D. Jones, an award-winning Conn-Selmer (Bach) performing and recording artist who has also emerged as a leading figure in contemporary performance and pedagogy, conducting, and service to inner-city youth through music outreach programs. An artist who transcends stylistic boundaries, Courtney has performed with classical ensembles and orchestras throughout the United States, internationally, and has won multiple solo awards and accolades through regional and national trumpet competitions.

This journey began in Jones’ hometown of Columbus, Georgia. While earning his Bachelor of Music degree at Columbus State University, Courtney performed with various Columbus State University ensembles and recorded with artists such as Jens Lindemann, Joseph Alessi, John Bruce Yeh, and the Columbus State University Wind Ensemble under the Naxos Music label. While completing his Master of Music degree in Trumpet Performance at Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Virginia, Courtney studied under the instruction of J. Carlton Rowe, former Principal Trumpet of the “President’s Own” United States Marine Band, Craig Fraedrich of The U.S. Army Blues, and performed as Substitute Principal with the Loudon Symphony Orchestra of Leesburg, Virginia. He also had additional studies with Steve Hendrickson of the National Symphony Orchestra

Courtney conducted his doctoral studies at UCLA under the instruction of international soloist and former lead trumpet of the Canadian Brass, Jens Lindemann. During his time at UCLA, Courtney worked as a Teaching Associate for lecture courses and provided weekly lessons for university trumpet students under the direction of Lindemann. Winner of a Gluck Fellowship, Jones was then selected as the conductor of the UCLA Brass Ensemble during the latter part of his residency. His musicological research during this period explored 21st Century ideological and transcendental concepts of performance practice focusing on a lesser-known contemporary work of composer Frank Ticheli,  The First Voice for Solo Bb Trumpet.

Before completing his doctorate, Courtney was appointed as the Visiting Assistant Professor of Trumpet at the Voxman School of Music at the University of Iowa. During this almost two-year residency Jones served as the Principal Trumpet for the Iowa Faculty Brass Quintet, taught Graduate Brass Pedagogy, and served on recital and graduate committees. He also resurrected and produced an engaging performance concert by the University’s Brass Ensemble (which had previously been inactive for several years) to showcase the importance of Brass Bands as an engaging training ground for solidifying technical and pedagogical facility for brass players. In addition to his applied obligations, Courtney performed with Orchestra Iowa, the Dubuque Symphony, and gave solo performances with both the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band and New Horizons Band. One of which was the Midwest Premiere of Kim Scharnberg’s  Travelogue for Trumpet.

Besides performing with well-known jazz and popular artists, he has shared the stage with famous artists or groups such as Kenny Burrell, B.B. King, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Rihanna, Lalo Schifrin, Vanessa Williams, Boy George and The Culture Club, and Stevie Wonder. In addition to his solo performance career, Courtney has performed classical music as a featured soloist or collaborative artist with the Golden States Pop Orchestra, the Southeast Symphony Orchestra, the Macao Orchestra (China), the Pasadena Orchestra, the Debut Orchestra, the Inspiravi Chamber Orchestra, the Gateways Brass Collective, the Oslo Philharmonic (Norway), the Long Beach Opera, Symphony of the Americas, the Los Angeles Trombone Collective in collaboration with James Miller, the Salt-River Brass Band, the Gateways Festival Orchestra, and was later appointed Musical Director of the Orchid City Brass Band of South Florida. Courtney is also represented by the Naxos and Summit Music labels and his feature film and television credits include music performed for Glee, Notes from Dad, Cougar Town, and Criminal Minds, among other works mentioned on his personal website's media category.

Prior to his appointment at Florida Atlantic University as the Associate Professor of Trumpet & Artistic Director of Jazz and Chamber Ensembles, Jones was a Lecturer of Music at Columbus State University while recording his Solo CD project, “Between 2 Worlds,”  at the Joyce and Henry Schwob School of Music. Between teaching and solo performing engagements, Courtney continues to promote music education and instrumental performance in inner-city schools through the Music Outreach Program at UCLA, The Harmony Project of Los Angeles, Trumpets 4 Kids in Dallas, Texas, the Nat King Cole Hope, Inc. Foundation and the Gateways Music Festival in Rochester, New York. Each of these programs offers schoolchildren arts-in-education opportunities. These programs are essential because they provide underserved, inner-city students, and communities with musical training and mentorship that would otherwise be inaccessible.

Courtney has an active website at www.cjonestrumpet.com