Annie Verkoczy | Winner | $5,000 Young Lions Jazz Conservatory is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 Dizzy Gillespie College Awards. Named in honor of the legendary trumpeter who personally mentored YLJC Artistic Director Gilbert Castellanos and helped him secure a full presidential scholarship to Berklee College of Music, these awards carry on that same spirit of generosity and inspiration. Established in memory of Jerry Witt, they support graduating YLJC students

Celebrating Your Journey You showed up, you grew, and you made music that mattered. The heart and dedication you brought to YLJC this year will follow you into everything that comes next. This is just the beginning and we are so proud of you. Keep swinging class of 2026! 👏🎶 Class of 2026 Reflections Matthew Baylon — Drums Hey I'm Mathew! I am graduating from Scripps Ranch High and will be studying International Business at Northeastern University through their NYC Scholars

Jacobs Jazz Orchestra (JJO) at Essentially Ellington 2026 🗽 New York City, April 27–May 3, 2026 🎥 FULL VIDEO: JJO Performance and Awards | Jazz at Lincoln Center 📸 IMAGES: JJO—EE26 Images Jacobs Jazz Orchestra traveled to New York City for the 2026 Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival at Jazz at Lincoln Center, one of the most prestigious jazz education events in the country. For our students, it was an extraordinary, life-changing week. No

Young Lions Jazz Conservatory's Jacobs Jazz Orchestra (JJO) is heading to New York City to compete in Jazz at Lincoln Center's prestigious Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival, the most celebrated jazz education event in the world. The annual festival brings together top high school jazz ensembles from across the nation to perform the music of Duke Ellington, receive mentorship from world-class musicians, and experience the culture of jazz at its

Kahlil Childs Selected for Carnegie Hall's NYO Jazz 2026 & Three Young Lions Named to Alternate List 🎷 🎉 Celebrating outstanding achievement in jazz and artistic excellence

🎉 YLJC Student Malik Minert Named 2025 National YoungArts Winner in Jazz Piano Celebrating outstanding achievement in jazz and artistic excellence

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our 2025 The Shape of Jazz to Come celebration and fundraiser. Your energy and generosity made a real impact! As many of you know, we’ve hit classroom capacity again for the 2025–26 season and had to put students on the waitlist, but thanks to the incredible support of our community, we raised enough funding to open a new classroom in 2026. Space is difficult to find in Liberty Station , but a room near our current classrooms just be

We are thrilled to announce that three exceptional Young Lions Jazz Conservatory students have been selected to join two of the most...

We’re proud to announce that pianist Quincy Reyes, a graduating senior from Canyon Crest Academy and a dedicated member of Young Lions Jazz Conservatory, is the 2025 recipient of the Dizzy Gillespie College Scholarship!

Cheers to the Class of 2025! You did it! 🎓 🎉 From your first notes to final performances, the growth we've witnessed has been nothing...

Young Lions Jazz Conservatory is proud to announce that YLJC student, Joey Kim-Weigandt, has won the prestigious Downbeat Magazine’s 48th...

🎉 YLJC Student Malik Minert Named 2025 National YoungArts Winner in Jazz Piano Celebrating outstanding achievement in jazz and artistic excellence

Congratulations, class of 2024! Your dedication, perseverance, and enthusiasm for music have been truly remarkable to observe and you...

Young Lions Jazz Conservatory is proud to announce that YLJC student, Joey Kim-Weigandt, has won the prestigious Downbeat Magazine’s 47th...

Young Lions Jazz Conservatory community and the wider San Diego jazz scene are still coming to terms with the loss of a truly remarkable...

Johnny Steele on tour with Matthew Whitaker - Brazil 2023. In 2013, the San Diego jazz scene witnessed the birth of the Young Lions...

A playlist of some of the best San Diego jazz artists for your listening pleasure. It's titled San Diego Swings and Young Lions Jazz Conserv

Gilbert Castellanos, Founder, Artistic Director Another YLJC year is coming to a close, and I feel an immense sense of pride as our...

Well done, class of 2023! Your passion for jazz, your commitment to your ensembles and peers, and your dedication to honing your craft is...

Congratulations to Nick Caldwell and Ethan Fairclough for being awarded seats in the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra (NGJO) as part of the...