JAS Academy Brings 46 Full-Scholarship Musicians to Aspen

Forty-six of the country’s top young musicians are packing their bags for Aspen this summer, and the financial burden on their families? Zero.

The JAS Academy has announced its 2026 summer sessions, and the headline isn’t just about who’s playing — it’s that the program is one of the nation’s only full-scholarship summer residencies. Supported annually by the generosity of Sasha and Ed Bass, the program pulls elite students from institutions like Juilliard, Berklee, and the University of Michigan out of their dorms and into Aspen for two intensive weeks each.

It’s a significant lift for the students. They aren’t just learning scales; they’re learning how to survive in the industry. The curriculum includes arranging, production, touring, artist management, contracts, and digital rights. It’s jazz education with a business degree attached.

The first session, focusing on Big Band, runs from June 15 to June 29. Christian McBride, the 11-time Grammy-winning bassist and JAS Academy artistic director, will lead the charge. He’ll be working alongside Frost School of Music Dean Shelly Berg and program director Chuck Bergeron.

The second session shifts gears entirely. Running from July 27 to August 10, it focuses on Afro-Caribbean styles. Etienne Charles, a Trinidad-born trumpeter and Guggenheim Fellowship recipient, takes the helm. This isn’t your standard swing session. It covers Latin, South and Central American, African, and Caribbean music in both combo and big band settings.

"The program is presented by Jazz Aspen Snowmass in collaboration with the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami," the academy notes.

But the real draw for the community — the folks who live here year-round, not just the summer crowd, is the access. These aren’t closed-door rehearsals. Public performances are scheduled throughout both sessions, and many are free.

For the Big Band session, locals can catch performances at The Collective in Snowmass on June 17 from 5 to 8 p.m., and at the Paul JAS Center on June 23 from 6 to 9 p.m. If you’ve got a JAS June Experience pass, you’ll also see the students perform downtown as part of the June Experience, with special guests like Lizz Wright and Kurt Elling joining the mix on June 27.

The Afro-Caribbean session brings the action to The Gant Conference Center on July 31 and back to the Paul JAS Center on August 4. The final weekend wraps up with JAS Café performances at the Paul JAS Center on August 7 and 8.

The students themselves are a diverse lot. The 46 selected represent 21 different music programs across the country. You’re looking at talent from UCLA, Eastman, Manhattan School of Music, and more. They arrive with their instruments, their sheet music, and a full scholarship covering their stay.

Each day is packed with coaching from jazz masters and faculty. Students get time for rehearsal and recording, then they step out to perform. It’s a rigorous schedule designed to simulate the pressure of a professional tour.

The question is whether this model of full-scholarship, high-level mentorship can be replicated elsewhere. Most music programs charge tuition. This one charges nothing, funded by the Bass family and presented by Jazz Aspen Snowmass. It keeps the barrier to entry low for talent, regardless of their bank account, while keeping the Aspen community engaged with free, high-quality performances.

For the students, it’s a career launchpad. For the locals, it’s a summer of free music. And for the sponsors, it’s an investment in the future of jazz.

"As [the academy] puts it, the goal is to provide a comprehensive education that goes beyond just playing notes," says the program description. "Students will learn about website development, digital rights, and artist management; skills they need to actually make a living."

The results will show how many of these 46 students become the next generation of jazz icons. But for this summer, they’re here, they’re learning, and they’re playing for free.