Jon Ailabouni
Trumpeter, composer, and educator, Jon Ailabouni is a sought after freelance artist based in Rochester, MN. Steeped in the classical and jazz traditions, Jon’s work freely embraces diverse styles from the Blues to the Avante-garde and from the Caribbean to the Arab world.
His improvisation as a soloist has been described as “sharp and resourceful” (AllAboutJazz.com). At home in a wide array of ensembles, Ailabouni can be found performing in the region with the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra, La Crosse Jazz Orchestra, Luther College Faculty Brass Quintet, and Director’s Jazz Sextet with Rich MacDonald, Larry Price, Greg Balfany, Jeff Erickson, and Karyn Quinn.
Ailabouni's interest in interdisciplinary work has led to multiple large-scale collaborations featuring his composition including In Search of America with author Robert Wolf, Highway 57 with dancer-choreographer Blake Nellis, and Body of Water, The Invitation Game, and Who Do You Trust? with choreographer Jane Hawley. Body of Water - a unique production with dancers, musicians, and a biologist - addresses water health and sustainability and has seen numerous performances throughout the tri-state region.
Jon regularly serves as a Jazz Worship Consultant, facilitating new musical possibility in traditional worship settings across Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Colorado, and Texas.A summa cum laude graduate of Luther College in Decorah, IA with a degree emphasizing classical trumpet performance, Ailabouni went on to receive a Master of Music degree in Jazz Studies from Western Michigan University (WMU) in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Jon then joined the WMU music faculty, where he taught jazz brass lessons, directed the Jazz Lab Band, and served as co-director of the Western Invitational Jazz Festival. Jon is an adjunct faculty of music at Luther College where he directs the Jazz Band, coaches jazz combos, and teaches jazz improvisation and trumpet and Winona State University in Winona, MN where he teaches the trumpet studio.
Degrees
- Master of Music in Performance, Jazz Studies Western Michigan University – Kalamazoo, MI
- Bachelor of Arts in Music, Trumpet Performance Luther College – Decorah, IA
