Adjunct Faculty, JAZZ PIANO, JAZZ COMBOS, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
Professor Wade Beach is widely respected for his harmonic sophistication and superb technique, and holds a master’s degree in piano performance from the University of Maryland.
Adjunct Faculty, JAZZ TRUMPET, Braddock Road Brass Band, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
Professor Graham Breedlove has performed on four continents in more than twenty countries, and currently serves as an adjunct faculty for Jazz Trumpet at George Mason University.
Professor of JAZZ STUDIES and Director of the Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, Mason Jazz Ensemble, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
Professor of Jazz Studies Jim Carroll has a versatile background ranging from tours with Michael Jackson to Woody Herman and The Thundering Herd.
Adjunct Faculty, JAZZ/COMMERCIAL CLASS PIANO, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
Dr. Geoffrey Dean is a nationally renowned jazz pianist, composer, author and educator based in the Washington DC area. His music spans the entire genre of jazz from blues and hard bop influences to classical music, R&B and modern jazz. Dr. Dean will be teaching Jazz/Commercial Piano Class for the upcoming Spring 2026 semester.
Adjunct Faculty, JAZZ TROMBONE, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
Aaron Eckert, originally from Belleville, IL, is a trombonist with the U.S. Army Blues, the premier jazz ensemble of the Army.
Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies, SAXOPHONE, Jazz Workshop, Jazz Studies, Jazz History, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
Saxophonist, composer, and educator John Kocur is Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at George Mason University where he directs the Jazz Workshop and teaches jazz history and improvisation. He previously taught at Northern Virginia Community College. He serves as saxophonist with the 257th Army Band of the D.C. National Guard, “the Band of the Nation’s Capital.”
Adjunct Faculty, JAZZ PERCUSSION, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
Acclaimed jazz drummer and musicologist Kevin C. McDonald is Adjunct Professor of Applied Jazz Percussion at George Mason University and drummer for the U.S. Navy Band Commodores, the Navy's premier jazz ensemble. From venues including Kennedy Center and Jazz at Lincoln Center to The White House, he has shared the concert stage with Dave Liebman, Mark Turner, Paquito D’Rivera, Miguel Zenon, Maria Schneider, Bob Mintzer, Randy Brecker, Lee Konitz, and the New York City Ballet.
Adjunct Faculty, JAZZ SAXOPHONE, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
Originally from Miami, Florida, Professor Perez has performed in 13 countries and 48 states with a wide range of artists in the jazz and Latin music worlds. As the sole U.S. representative, he placed 2nd in the Montreux Jazz Festival international saxophone competition, which featured hundreds of applicants from over 20 countries.
Adjunct Faculty, STEEL PAN, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
Victor Provost’s performances transcend the expectations of instrument and genre. With appearances at major venues throughout the world (including Shanghai Concert Hall, Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater, the Umbria Jazz Festival, and the Kennedy Center) he has been meticulously solidifying his reputation as a master of the Steel Pan and crafting an improvisational voice and style to be reckoned with.
Director of JAZZ STUDIES, JAZZ VOICE, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
Origin Records recording artist, Darden Purcell is a Washington DC based featured soloist with symphony orchestras, big bands and small ensembles and jazz educator. Dr. Purcell is the Director of Jazz Studies, Jazz Voice Instructor and Director of the Downbeat Award-winning, Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble at George Mason University.
