Lea Naisberg
Jonathan Shillingford
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Jonathan Shillingford is a trumpet player born and raised in Miami, Florida. He draws inspiration from his hometown’s rich culture, especially from his Caribbean heritage. Shillingford began his musical journey by picking up piano at 5 years old, with trumpet becoming his primary instrument at age 9. He was later accepted into the world-renowned Manhattan School of Music on a scholarship to pursue his B.M. in jazz performance, studying with Jon Faddis and Marc Cary. Early on in his career, Shillingford appeared at venues such as Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater, Birdland Jazz Club, Smoke Jazz Club, the Jazz Gallery, Dizzy’s Club, and Smalls Jazz Club, performing alongside Danilo Peréz, Terri Lyne Carrington, Joe Lovano, Kurt Elling, Jason Marsalis, Doc Severinsen, Sean Jones, and others.
- Jazz Band of America (2018)
- Vice president of the Black Student Union at Manhattan School of Music (2020)
- Accepted on full scholarship to Berklee College of Music (2022)
- Performed alongside Grammy Award winners Danilo Peréz, Kurt Elling, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Joe Lovano (2022)
- Performed at the Panama Jazz Festival (2023)
- Earned superior rating on the first movement of the Haydn Trumpet Concerto from the Florida Bandmasters Association (2014)
- Won first place in the Essentially Ellington Competition (2016)
- Awarded the ASCAP Foundation Fran Morgenstern Davis Scholarship to study at Manhattan School of Music (2018)
- Awarded Best Trumpet Player award at the Melton Mustafa Jazz Festival (2018)
- YoungArts Award in Jazz Trumpet (2018)