Conn Selmer: Jazz Orchestra Concert featuring Sean Jones

Experience an evening of jazz at The Lerner Theatre with the Conn Selmer Jazz Orchestra, featuring internationally acclaimed trumpeter and Bach Artist Sean Jones, with special performances by the Frownin’ Mawgs and the Elkhart High School Jazz Ensemble on Wednesday, September 30 at 7:30 PM.

This free community concert is presented in partnership with the Elkhart Symphony Orchestra and The Lerner Theatre to celebrate Elkhart’s rich musical heritage and the musicians who carry it forward. Donations will be accepted to support the music programs at Elkhart Community Schools.

Conn Selmer Jazz Orchestra
The Conn Selmer Jazz Orchestra brings together musicians from across Conn Selmer, a global musical instrument company headquartered in Elkhart, Indiana. With roots in Elkhart dating back to 1875, Conn Selmer has been part of the community’s musical heritage for more than 150 years.

Today, Conn Selmer is the largest manufacturer of band instruments in the United States and a global leader in the design, manufacturing, and distribution of brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments.

Its brand portfolio represents more than a millennium of combined musical heritage and includes Armstrong, Bach, Conn, Holton, King, Leblanc, Ludwig, Musser, and SELMER. Conn Selmer also serves as the North American distributor of Henri SELMER Paris woodwinds and Yanagisawa saxophones.

Sean Jones Bio
Internationally acclaimed trumpeter, composer, bandleader, and educator Sean Jones has built a career marked by versatility, artistry, and a deep connection to jazz tradition. A native of Warren, Ohio, Jones began playing trumpet at age 10 and went on to become lead trumpeter with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra from 2004–2010. He later joined the SFJAZZ Collective and has released eight recordings as a bandleader on Mack Avenue Records.

Jones has performed and recorded with many of the most respected names in jazz, including Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Dianne Reeves, Marcus Miller, Nancy Wilson, and Jimmy Heath, and has appeared with several major symphony orchestras.

A dedicated educator and Bach Artist, Jones currently holds the Richard and Elizabeth Case Chair in Jazz Studies at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University and serves as Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall’s NYO Jazz program. He previously served as chair of the Brass Department at Berklee College of Music and as president of the Jazz Education Network.

The Frownin’ Mawgs
The Frownin’ Mawgs are a woodwind ensemble of music industry professionals at Conn Selmer who specialize in instrument design, development, and manufacturing. What began as a reading group that performed at corporate and industry functions evolved into a full-fledged performance ensemble, featured recently at the 2026 Elkhart Jazz Festival. The ensemble showcases the versatility of the saxophone and other woodwind instruments through accessible music that offers a balance of classical, jazz and pop arrangements.