Workshop

Vail Jazz Workshop

Applications for the

2026 Vail Jazz Workshop

are open!

Each year, a dozen of North America’s most dedicated, gifted, and promising young jazz musicians are chosen from a broad field of talented applicants, receiving scholarships to participate in the 9-day Vail Jazz Workshop in Vail, Colorado.

In conjunction with the Vail Jazz Festival, this highly-regarded summer program enters its 31st year, mentoring over 300 high school-aged musicians since its inception. The VJ Workshop, among the longest-running programs of its type, enables student musicians to be coached in an environment that emphasizes intense interaction with instructors and fellow students while providing them with the unique opportunity to perform alongside legendary professional musicians at the VJ Festival over Labor Day Weekend.

The 12 annual slots at the VJ Workshop are among the most coveted music scholarships among pre-college jazz musicians today. Many Workshop Alumni have advanced to highly successful musical careers, garnering numerous awards, Grammy® nominations, albums, and tour dates with jazz greats, as well as fronting their own groups at notable jazz venues and festivals across the globe. In honor of the exceptional talent of our Workshop Alumni, the VJ Festival features these now working professionals to perform in the Vail Jazz Alumni Sextet.

Applications close on April 30, 2026.

The 2026 Vail Jazz Workshop runs from August 29 – September 6.

Who can apply?

The Workshop is a residency program for twelve dedicated and gifted young jazz musicians who have demonstrated a commitment to their musical studies and a level of skill to warrant special attention. The standard of playing is extremely high; therefore, only students who can meet this expectation will likely gain admission to the workshop.

Age restrictions

Must be at least 15 years of age and not more than 19 years of age (determined as of August 30, 2026)
Must be a full-time student enrolled in a high school (grades 9 – 12) or home-schooled in compliance with appropriate local law during the school year completed just prior to the Workshop.
Applicants who have just graduated from high school may apply, but may not have attended a university, college, junior college, or another post-high school educational institution full-time, nor may an applicant have attended the Workshop.

Instrument Restrictions

The Workshop is only open to students whose primary instruments are the following: piano, bass, drums, trumpet, saxophone, and trombone. Currently, no other instruments are accepted into the Workshop.

Workshop Faculty

The Vail Jazz Workshop is directed by John Clayton (bass), Tim Green (sax), Bill Cunliffe (piano), Wycliffe Gordon (trombone), Lewis Nash (drums) and Terell Stafford (trumpet).
Each of these exceptional teachers is greatly in demand on the international jazz scene, often sacrificing far more remunerative opportunities to “pay it forward” by sharing their time and talents as teachers and mentors to aspiring jazz musicians.

John Clayton

Director of Education, Bass Instructor

Bill Cunliffe

Piano Instructor

Wycliffe Gordon

Trombone Instructor

Lewis Nash

Drums Instructor

Tim Green

Saxophone Instructor

Terell Stafford

Trumpet Instructor

Dick Oatts, In Emeritus

Jeff Clayton, In Memoriam

1955 - 2020

“It’s amazing to get chances in life where there is nothing to worry about other than the art.”

Lakecia Benjamin

Class of 1999

“I felt a really special connection to John Clayton. I learned so much from his lessons, but also from the way he interacts with people. He is so elegant, never gets angry, but also achieves what he wants.”

Katie Thiroux

Class of 2005

“What made me want to come to Vail was when I first heard Lewis Nash. I totally fell in love with his drumming. A teacher of mine was friends with Nash, and I heard them discussing me: ‘How can we get him to Vail?’”

Evan Sherman

Class of 2009