Tarpon Springs Jazz Ensemble

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Tarpon Springs Jazz Ensemble

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The Tarpon Springs Jazz Ensemble is one of five nationally accomplished performance ensembles within the Tarpon Springs Leadership Conservatory for the Arts.

11/05/2026

The Tarpon Springs Jazz Ensemble had the honor of opening for the USF Jazz Orchestra last night before a fantastic concert featuring Carl Fischer, trumpet player for Billy Joel! It was wonderful to see TSJE alumni performing with USF. A huge thank you to Professor Tom Brantley for making this wonderful opportunity possible. An amazing venue, and an unforgettable performance experience for our students.

10/22/2026

Yesterday, we were thrilled to welcome back Dr. Jeremy George, Director of Jazz at Huston-Tillotson University, after working with him last year as the Pinellas All-County Jazz clinician and during a special masterclass preparing for our trip to Essentially Ellington. Thank you, Dr. Jeremy George , for sharing your knowledge, passion, and expertise with our students. We always appreciate the opportunity to learn from you!

06/02/2026

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT number 10 - Sean Moorehouse, alto saxophone 🎷

Last but not least, our lead alto saxophone, and the 2025-2025 TSLCA Louis Armstrong Award winner, Sean Moorehouse. Sean came to Tarpon during his sophomore year, and joined jazz ensemble and jazz combo for his junior and senior years. A talented soloist, you may recognize Sean as a featured performer in our 2025 marching production, The Void. He has been in marching band for four years, wind symphony for one and was also a member of our wind ensemble and woodwind choirs. Sean was in Pinellas All-County concert band for all four years in high school and earned a spot in the Pinellas All-County jazz band his senior year. He served as one of our saxophone section leaders. Sean plans on attending Florida State University to obtain a degree in actuarial science on a Bright Futures Scholarship. He graduated summa cm laude and his favorite jazz memory is taking part in a masterclass with Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Sherman Irby.

As a member of the Jazz Ensemble, he has performed at the following festivals/events:
Suncoast Jazz Festival (2024, 2025)
Sunset Beach Concert Series (2025, 2026)
Music For All’s Ignite Invitational (2025, 2026)
Essentially Ellington Regional Competition (2025,2026) - Emerging Jazz Ensemble Award (2024, 2026) Outstanding Saxophone Section (2026) Outstanding Alto Saxophone Soloist (2025, 2026)
Guest Artist Concert featuring Kris Johnson (2025)
Downbeat Magazine Award Winner (2025, 2026)
Guest Artist Concert featuring James Suggs and Jeremy Carter (2026)
Essentially Ellington NY Festival and Competition Finalist (2026) Honorable Mention Alto Saxophone Soloist

CONGRATULATIONS SEAN!!!

05/31/2026

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT number 9 - Grace Huettig, bass trombone 🪊

Grace is a four year member of both jazz ensemble and wind ensemble. She has served in several leadership positions within the conservatory including freshman president, baritone section leader, field commander, jazz trombone section leader, and most recently, drum major. Grace has earned a spot in the all county concert band all four years of her high school career and all county jazz for three. She graduated summa cm laude and plans on attending the University of South Florida to obtain a degree in Aerospace Engineering. She has earned the Bright Futures and Rotary Club of Tarpon Springs scholarships. Her favorite jazz memory are all the moments the jazz ensemble ate out as a group. It was in those moments the group had so much fun and felt like one huge family.

As a member of the Jazz Ensemble, she has performed at the following festivals/events:
Suncoast Jazz Festival (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
Sunset Beach Concert Series (2023, 2024, 2025, 2026)
FMEA Conference Mini-Concert (2023)
Guest Artist Concert featuring The Huntertones (2023)
Music For All’s Ignite Invitational (2023, 2025, 2026)
Essentially Ellington Regional Competition (2024, 2025,2026) - Emerging Jazz Ensemble Award (2024, 2026) Outstanding Trombone Section (2024)
Guest Artist Concert featuring Diego Rivera (2024)
Guest Artist Concert featuring Kris Johnson (2025)
Downbeat Magazine Award Winner (2025, 2026)
Guest Artist Concert featuring James Suggs and Jeremy Carter (2026)
Essentially Ellington NY Festival and Competition Finalist (2026)

CONGRATULATIONS GRACE!!!

05/30/2026

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT number 8 - Lucas Platt, bass 🎻

Lucas Platt is a four year member of jazz ensemble and jazz combo. He spent the past four years in wind ensemble on upright bass, and was a percussionist in TSOPE. He served in the leadership roles of quad section leader and was one of the rhythm section leads. Lucas’s favorite jazz memory was after the jazz ensemble finished performing at Ellington this year and everyone was hugging each other because of the joy the felt for this accomplishment. The feeling of unity and love for others was something indescribable at Ellington.He plans on attending Pinellas Technical College to become an electrician and was a member of the National Honor Society and Tri-M.

As a member of the Jazz Ensemble, he has performed at the following festivals/events:
Suncoast Jazz Festival (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
Sunset Beach Concert Series (2023, 2024, 2025, 2026)
FMEA Conference Mini-Concert (2023)
Guest Artist Concert featuring The Huntertones (2023)
Music For All’s Ignite Invitational (2023, 2025, 2026)
Essentially Ellington Regional Competition (2024, 2025,2026) - Emerging Jazz Ensemble Award (2024, 2026)
Guest Artist Concert featuring Diego Rivera (2024)
Guest Artist Concert featuring Kris Johnson (2025)
Downbeat Magazine Award Winner (2025, 2026)
Guest Artist Concert featuring James Suggs and Jeremy Carter (2026)
Essentially Ellington NY Festival and Competition Finalist (2026)

CONGRATULATIONS LUCAS!!!

05/29/2026

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT number 7 - Garrett May, lead trumpet 🎺

Garrett has spent two years in the TSLCA jazz program, his junior year in jazz workshop and his senior in jazz ensemble, both years as lead trumpet. You may recognize Garrett as the trumpet and flugelhorn soloist in the TSOPE production of The Void. He has held the leadership roles of trumpet section leader and band president and has spent the last four years in TSOPE, wind symphony, wind ensemble, and our brass choirs. He has also earned spots in Pinellas All-County concert band for three years and earned the lead trumpet spot in All-County Jazz his senior year. Garrett graduated magna cm laude this past week and will head to the University of South Florida to earn a degree in Civil Engineering on a Bright Futures Scholarship. Before he does, he will spend the summer marching with Carolina Crown.

As a member of jazz, he has performed at the following festivals/events:
Suncoast Jazz Festival (2025)
Sunset Beach Concert Series (2025, 2026)
Music For All’s Ignite Invitational (2025, 2026)
Essentially Ellington Regional Competition (2026) - Emerging Jazz Ensemble Award (2026) Outstanding Lead Trumpet (2026)
Guest Artist Concert featuring Kris Johnson (2025)
Downbeat Magazine Award Winner (2026)
Guest Artist Concert featuring James Suggs and Jeremy Carter (2026)
Essentially Ellington NY Festival and Competition Finalist (2026)

CONGRATULATIONS GARRETT!!!

05/28/2026

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT number 6 - Mia Mack, baritone saxophone 🎷

Mia is another four year member of the TSLCA Jazz program, spending her first year in jazz workshop and the remaining as a member of the jazz ensemble. Mia made the Pinellas All-County concert band all four years of her high school career, plays saxophone in the Tarpon Springs Outdoor Ensemble, and has been in wind symphony, wind ensemble (where she also doubled on contrabassoon,) and our woodwind choirs. Graduating summa cm laude, she plans on attending the University of Florida to major in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in material science. She earned both the Bright Futures Scholarship and the MACHEN Opportunity Scholarship and is a member of National Honor Society and Tri-M Music Honor Society.

As a member of jazz, she has performed at the following festivals/events:
Suncoast Jazz Festival (2023, 2024, 2025)
Sunset Beach Concert Series (2024, 2025, 2026)
Music For All’s Ignite Invitational (2025, 2026)
Essentially Ellington Regional Competition (2024, 2025,2026) - Emerging Jazz Ensemble Award (2024, 2026) Outstanding Saxophone Section (2026)
Guest Artist Concert featuring Diego Rivera (2024)
Guest Artist Concert featuring Kris Johnson (2025)
Downbeat Magazine Award Winner (2025, 2026)
Guest Artist Concert featuring James Suggs and Jeremy Carter (2026)
Essentially Ellington NY Festival and Competition Finalist (2026)

CONGRATULATIONS MIA!!!

05/27/2026

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT number 5 - Ainsley Meyers, vocals 🎤

This is Ainsley’s fourth year in the TSLCA jazz program, where she spent her freshman year in jazz workshop and the remaining years as a member of jazz ensemble. She started out in our alto saxophone section and has transitioned to vocalist. Ainsley plays saxophone in the Tarpon Springs Outdoor Ensemble, and has been in wind symphony, wind ensemble, and our woodwind choirs. She plans on attending the University of Florida to major in Professional Communication-Advertising on a Bright Futures Scholarship and was also a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society.

As a member of jazz, she has performed at the following festivals/events:
Suncoast Jazz Festival (2023, 2024, 2025)
Sunset Beach Concert Series (2024, 2025, 2026)
Music For All’s Ignite Invitational (2025, 2026)
Essentially Ellington Regional Competition (2024, 2025,2026) - Emerging Jazz Ensemble Award (2024, 2026) Outstanding Vocalist (2025)
Guest Artist Concert featuring Diego Rivera (2024)
Guest Artist Concert featuring Kris Johnson (2025)
Downbeat Magazine Award Winner (2025, 2026)
Guest Artist Concert featuring James Suggs and Jeremy Carter (2026)
Essentially Ellington NY Festival and Competition Finalist (2026) - Honorable Mention Vocalist (2026)

CONGRATULATIONS AINSLEY!!!

05/25/2026

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT number 4 - Abigail Slezak, tenor saxophone 🎷

Abby Slezak is a three year member of the TSLCA Jazz Ensemble. She is currently one of our band presidents and has also served as a woodwind captain and sophomore vice-president. Abigail has spent the past four years in our wind symphony, wind ensemble, and woodwind choirs. She is a member of both NHS and Tri-M honor societies and was selected for all-county jazz her sophomore year, and all-county concert band her junior year. Abby has graduated summa cm laude and plans to obtain a multimedia journalism degree with a Bright Futures Scholarship from the University of North Florida. Her favorite jazz memory is being able to connect with everyone in the ensemble and watch other groups share their passion during Essentially Ellington in NY this year.

As a member of the Jazz Ensemble, she has performed at the following festivals/events:
Suncoast Jazz Festival (2023, 2024, 2025)
Sunset Beach Concert Series (2024, 2025, 2026)
Music For All’s Ignite Invitational (2025, 2026)
Essentially Ellington Regional Competition (2024, 2025,2026) - Emerging Jazz Ensemble Award (2024, 2026) Outstanding Saxophone Section 2026
Guest Artist Concert featuring Diego Rivera (2024)
Guest Artist Concert featuring Kris Johnson (2025)
Downbeat Magazine Award Winner (2025, 2026)
Guest Artist Concert featuring James Suggs and Jeremy Carter (2026)
Essentially Ellington NY Festival and Competition Finalist (2026)

CONGRATULATIONS ABIGAIL!!!

05/24/2026

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT number 3 - Jacob Hattaway, trombone 🪊

Jacob Hattaway has spent three years in the TSLCA jazz program - two years in jazz workshop and his senior year in jazz ensemble playing trombone and vibes. He was in our Outdoor Performance Ensemble for four years playing baritone and trombone and part of the front ensemble. Jacob was also a part of wind symphony, wind ensemble, and our brass and percussion ensembles/choirs. His favorite memory from jazz was when Vincent Gardner and Wynton Marsalis answered his question during the Q&A session at Essentially Ellington. Jacob will attend the University of South Florida to major in Music Education and has earned the Take Stock in Children and TSLCA Alumni Music Scholarships.

As a member of the jazz, he has performed at the following festivals/events:
Suncoast Jazz Festival (2025)
Sunset Beach Concert Series (2025, 2026)
Music For All’s Ignite Invitational (2025, 2026)
Essentially Ellington Regional Competition (2026) - Emerging Jazz Ensemble Award (2026)
Guest Artist Concert featuring Diego Rivera (2024)
Guest Artist Concert featuring Kris Johnson (2025)
Downbeat Magazine Award Winner (2026)
Guest Artist Concert featuring James Suggs and Jeremy Carter (2026)
Essentially Ellington NY Festival and Competition Finalist (2026)

CONGRATULATIONS JACOB!!!

Address

1411 Gulf Road
Tarpon Springs, FL
34689

Telephone

+17279434900

Website

http://www.tarponspringsband.com/ensembles/jazz-ensemble/

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