Dr. Courtney D. Jones is carving out dynamic new paths in 21st-century trumpet performance. An award-winning Conn-Selmer (Bach) artist, he has established a pivotal presence as a contemporary performer, pedagogue, and conductor, while remaining deeply committed to music outreach initiatives for underserved youth. Dr. Jones is a highly sought-after soloist, clinician, and adjudicator who effortlessly bridges diverse musical genres in performances across North America and around the world.

Currently, Dr. Jones serves as Associate Professor of Trumpet, Brass Area Head, and Artistic Director of Jazz at Florida Atlantic University, as well as the Young Artists Trumpet Coach for both the Orchestra and Wind Ensemble at Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute (BUTI) during the summer.

His musical journey began in Columbus, Georgia, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Columbus State University. During his time there, he performed extensively with various university ensembles and recorded under the Naxos Music label alongside acclaimed artists such as Jens Lindemann, Joseph Alessi, and John Bruce Yeh, as well as the Columbus State University Wind Ensemble. He continued his pursuit of excellence at the Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Virginia, earning a Master of Music degree in Trumpet Performance. At Shenandoah, he had the privilege of studying under J. Carlton Rowe, former Principal Trumpet of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, and Craig Fraedrich of The U.S. Army Blues.

Dr. Jones completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at UCLA under the guidance of the internationally renowned soloist and former Canadian Brass lead trumpet, Jens Lindemann. While at UCLA, Dr. Jones taught weekly undergraduate trumpet lessons as a Teaching Associate and was awarded a prestigious Gluck Fellowship, culminating in his appointment as conductor of the UCLA Brass Ensemble during the latter part of his residency. His doctoral research explored 21st-century ideological and transcendental performance concepts, focusing specifically on The First Voice for Solo Bb Trumpet, a lesser-known contemporary work by composer Frank Ticheli.

Prior to his current appointments, Dr. Jones spent nearly two years as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Trumpet at the University of Iowa’s Voxman School of Music. In this role, he served as Principal Trumpet for the Iowa Faculty Brass Quintet, taught Graduate Brass Pedagogy, and contributed to various academic committees. He also revitalized the university’s dormant Brass Ensemble, organizing a landmark concert to demonstrate the critical role of brass bands as training grounds for technical and pedagogical mastery. While in the Midwest, he performed with Orchestra Iowa and the Dubuque Symphony, and appeared as a featured soloist with the Cedar Rapids Municipal Band and the New Horizons Band, presenting the Midwest premiere of Kim Scharnberg’s Travelogue for Trumpet.

An incredibly versatile artist, Dr. Jones boasts an extensive solo career complemented by collaborations with icons across the music industry. He has shared the stage with legendary artists including Stevie Wonder, B.B. King, Rihanna, Kenny Burrell, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Lalo Schifrin, Vanessa Williams, Boy George and The Culture Club. His extensive work as a collaborator or featured soloist spans an array of prestigious international ensembles, such as the Oslo Philharmonic (Norway), Macao Orchestra (China), Symphony of the Americas, Southeast Symphony Orchestra, Pasadena Orchestra, Long Beach Opera, Debut Orchestra, Golden States Pop Orchestra, Inspiravi Chamber Orchestra, Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass, Los Angeles Trombone Collective, Orchid City Brass Band (where he served as Musical Director from 2018 to 2022), Salt-River Brass Band, and the Big River Brass Band. He is also a proud founding member of the Gateways Brass Collective.

Dr. Jones’s recordings are represented by the prominent Naxos and Summit Music labels. His talent has also reached film and television audiences, with contributions featured in prominent productions such as Glee, Criminal Minds, Cougar Town, and Notes from Dad.

Parallel to his performance and academic achievements, Dr. Jones is a professional member of The Recording Academy and serves as a committee member for the Grammy Museum. Guided by a profound commitment to civic engagement, he works tirelessly to expand arts-in-education programming for inner-city students. Through leadership and participation in initiatives such as the UCLA Music Outreach Program, The Harmony Project in Los Angeles, Trumpets 4 Kids in Dallas, El Sistema, the Nat King Cole Hope, Inc. Foundation, and the Gateways Music Festival in Rochester, New York, Dr. Jones provides life-changing mentorship and high-caliber musical training to youth who might otherwise lack access to the arts.