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Jason Thomas Aylward

School of Music

Assistant Professor; Director of Bands and Orchestra

Degrees

M.M. Orchestral Conducting, Central Michigan University
M.M. Trumpet Performance, Central Michigan University
B.M. Trumpet Performance, Concordia College (Moorhead)

Bio

Jason Thomas Aylward is an engaging and dynamic conductor active throughout the United States. Jason has appeared in concert with the Idyllwild Arts Festival, Texas Festival Orchestra at the Round Top Festival Institute, the Twin Cities Orchestra at the 2017 NFA Conference, and at Carnegie Hall as Assistant Conductor of the CreArtBox ensemble. Additionally, he has held positions as Conductor and Artistic Director for Vintage Strings, Founder and Conductor Emeritus of the Chippewa River Chamber Orchestra, and Assistant Conductor for the Round Top Festival Institute, and Le Train Bleu. As an educator, he is currently the Director of Bands and Orchestra at Southeastern University, and previously held the position of Director of Performing Arts at Marion Military Institute. Jason has also worked with the orchestra, opera, theatre, band, and choral programs at Central Michigan University.

As a composer, he’s premiered works with the Texas Festival Orchestra, Fredericksburg Brass Festival, A-Stage Theatre in Minneapolis, the Fargo Monday Night Big Band, the CMU Symphony Orchestra, and CMU Chamber Singers. He won the 2016 CMU Orchestral composition competition with his work, "On The Shoulders of Running Water", and the 2017 CMU ACDA Choral composition competition with his work, "Memory, hither come".

Jason's primary conducting teachers are Ransom Wilson, José-Luis Maúrtua, Peter Haberman, and Scott Jones. He also studied jazz arranging with Allen Carter. He holds Masters Degrees in Orchestral Conducting and Trumpet from Central Michigan University, and a Bachelors degree in Trumpet Performance from Concordia College, in Moorhead. Jason is currently completing his DMA in trumpet at the Peabody Conservatory with Joe Burgstaller.

Jason is currently the Director of Bands and Orchestra and trumpet professor at Southeastern University in Lakeland, FL.