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Jeff Jones, Professor of Percussion at the University of Bridgeport in Bridgeport, Connecticut, comes from a diverse musical background that began in his hometown of Gardner, Massachusetts. The highlight of his activities in Gardner was his participation in the All-Eastern Symphony Orchestra in 1999 – an experience that included working with renowned conductors Kurt Mazur and Benjamin Zander, culminating in a performance at Carnegie Hall.
In 2005, Jeff completed his Bachelor of Music degree cum laude at the University of Massachusetts, studying with Brazilian-born marimba virtuoso Eduardo Leandro. He was awarded the Chancellor’s Talent Award in Music, a full-tuition scholarship, and maintained a double concentration in music education and performance throughout his undergraduate studies. During his first two years at UMass, Jeff was a member of the Minuteman Marching Band, under the tutelage of renowned drum corps educator Thom Hannum. He was also a member of numerous percussion ensembles and jazz bands. In 2002, Jeff performed with Grammy winners Paul Winter and Jeff Holmes in Mr. Winter’s “Concert for the Earth II.” The following year, during UMass’s Day of Percussion, hosted by the Massachusetts chapter of the Percussive Arts Society, Jeff performed alongside Jonathan Haas in Mr. Haas’s “Carter Cartel,” a masterclass featuring Elliott Carter’s timpani repertoire. As a member of the UMass Jazz Studio Orchestra, Jeff was a recipient of a 2004 Downbeat Student Music Award.
In 2007, he completed his Master of Music degree at the Yale School of Music under the tutelage of world-renowned percussionist Robert van Sice. His activities at Yale included his winning the Yale School of Music Chamber Music Competition performing Steve Reich’s Proverb, numerous concerts at Carnegie Hall and Symphony Hall, and a U.S. tour with the prestigious Yale Percussion Group, including a performance of James Wood’s Village Burial with Fire at the 2006 Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Austin, Texas. Jeff's first recording is of Philippe Manoury's Le Livre des Claviers with Eduardo Leandro on Resource Records. Jeff lives in New Haven with his wife, Beth, and his son, Wiley.
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