Featured Guest Artist
Terell Stafford is an internationally recognized jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and educator. Known for his technical brilliance and soulful expression, he has performed with some of the greatest names in jazz history and currently directs the jazz program at Temple University. This performance serves as the grand finale to a weekend of clinics and workshops for student musicians from across the region.
About Terell Stafford
Over the course of more than three decades, Terell Stafford has established himself as one of the world’s leading jazz trumpeters. Celebrated for his technical brilliance, warm tone, and expressive lyricism, Stafford combines a deep love of melody with adventurous improvisation, placing him at the forefront of contemporary jazz.
Stafford has performed and recorded with many of jazz’s greatest artists, including McCoy Tyner, Wynton Marsalis, Benny Golson, Kenny Barron, Bobby Watson, and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. He has appeared on over 130 albums and performed on major stages worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and in numerous international jazz festivals.
As a recording artist, Stafford has released several acclaimed albums, including Time to Let Go, Centripetal Force, Fields of Gold, and Family Feeling, showcasing his versatility as a performer, arranger, and bandleader. He has also been involved in Grammy-nominated and award-winning projects with the Clayton Brothers Quintet, Bobby Watson’s Tailor Made Big Band, and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.
In addition to his performing career, Stafford is a highly respected educator. He is the Director of Jazz Studies and Chair of Instrumental Studies at Temple University and the Managing and Artistic Director of the Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia. Through teaching, master classes, and clinics, he has influenced generations of jazz musicians, passing on his expertise and passion for the art form.
Born in Miami and raised in Chicago and Silver Spring, Maryland, Stafford studied at the University of Maryland and Rutgers University, where he cultivated the foundation for his career as both an exceptional musician and an inspiring educator.
Band directors who want to participate in the festival need to register their ensemble. You will need to complete the registration for every group you plan to bring to campus. You must have a code to access the link. Please contact Dr. Aaron Miller or Dave Faires to receive the registration code.