MYAC Welcomes New Jazz Combo Coach & Theory Teacher!

Emily Kuhn, Jazz Combo Coach & Theory Teacher

Midwest Young Artists Conservatory is excited to welcome Emily Kuhn to our esteemed music faculty! Emily is a jazz trumpet player based in Chicago, IL, described by the Chicago Jazz Magazine as having “a charismatic style and a sophistication that belies her youth.” Originally from Charlottesville, VA, Emily has made a name for herself as an active bandleader, sidewoman, composer, and educator. Emily has a BM and BA in Jazz Trumpet Performance and Environmental Studies from Oberlin. She studied with renowned trumpet players Eddie Henderson, Sean Jones, John D’earth, and John Henes.

How and when did you first hear or learn about MYAC?

I first heard about MYAC through the Chicago jazz scene, as I knew a few people who had attended as students or taught here, but I only learned more about it recently, through talking with Drew Hansen, the jazz director. I'm excited to keep learning more about the program this year! 

What is your favorite thing about your role here? 

I love getting to coach combos and teach theory! One thing that's unique about MYAC's jazz program is the emphasis on learning by ear. I am a huge music theory/aural skills nerd, so getting to teach students how to figure out what's going on in a song just by listening and then translate that to their instrument is really fulfilling. I also love getting to work with students who are coming from different places and don't necessarily know each other, and seeing them come into their own as a band over time. 

What is your professional background, and how do you bring that experience here? 

I've been working as a professional jazz trumpet player in Chicago for seven years now. In that time I've played in jazz and Latin groups all over the city and done a lot of bandleading: I've recorded albums of my original music with a chamber jazz nonet and a jazz quintet. I think it's so important for students to see their teachers actively working as musicians - it shows them how it's possible to make a career out of this, and it means I'm constantly growing my own musicianship alongside my students. 

I've also done a lot of teaching since living in Chicago. Currently, I coach combos and teach improv lessons at John Hersey High School. In the summers I often teach at Stanford Jazz Workshop, where I get to teach musicianship classes, trumpet masterclasses, combos, and lessons. In 2016/17 I did a fellowship program there, where I was mentored by several seasoned jazz teachers and learned a lot about jazz pedagogy. I was the program director for MUSIC Inc., a free instrumental music program on the West side of Chicago, for several years, and I've taught general music, band, and jazz classes all over the city through organizations like Chicago Jazz Philharmonic and Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras. Through all of this work I've developed a deep belief that everyone deserves access to high quality music programs, and that jazz education can and should be highly relevant to students' lives, no matter what their musical and personal goals are. I'm looking forward to bringing that experience and perspective to MYAC! 

What is something you are excited about in your role here?

I'm excited to see where my students go! MYAC has such a wonderful group of students and I can't wait to see how they sound by the end of a year of playing together.