Jon Faddis

Jon Faddis serves as Professor and Director of Jazz Performance at the Conservatory of Music, Purchase College, State University of New York, a position he has held since 1999 after beginning as Artist-in-Residence. Renowned as a virtuosic trumpeter, composer, and conductor, his career spans over five decades with global influence in jazz performance and education.

His artistic journey began at age seven, culminating in mentorship under Dizzy Gillespie and pivotal collaborations with Lionel Hampton and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. Faddis has directed major ensembles including the Grammy-winning United Nation Orchestra, Dizzy Gillespie 70th Birthday Big Band, and the Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra of New York (2003-present), while maintaining active roles with institutions like Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.

Faddis' creative output includes the jazz opera Lulu Noire (1997), Grammy-nominated album Remembrances (1998), and numerous recordings across film/television soundtracks. His educational philosophy emphasizes mentorship through global clinics, master classes, and programs like Chicago's Louis Armstrong Legacy Program.

Award highlights feature his historic honorary doctorate in Jazz from Manhattan School of Music (the first ever granted), Grammy recognition, and USA Today's Top 10 designation for Lulu Noire.

As an educator, Faddis pioneered jazz curriculum development at Purchase College while maintaining artistic innovation through composition and performance, embodying jazz's evolution from bebop traditions to contemporary expressions.