2025 Guest Artist Caleb Hudson Uniting virtuosity and musical sensitivity, Caleb Hudson has carved out a unique space in the world of classical trumpet. A long-standing member of the esteemed Canadian Brass for over a decade, he has captivated international audiences.Caleb, a native of Lexington, Kentucky, earned both his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Juilliard School. The New York Times has praised his artistry as "brilliantly stylish." In March 2024, Hudson released his debut solo album “Nothing Less,” a testament to the art of ensemble-driven dialogue.Featuring a distinct blend of solo trumpet, violin, cello, flute, and clarinet, the music allows virtuosity and collaboration to intermingle seamlessly. The album introduces fresh compositions by Remy Le Boeuf, Kyle Athayde, and Caleb Hudson himself, while also offering innovative takes on classics by Corelli and Philip Glass.
Caleb is acclaimed for his renditions of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, which he performs on both the modern piccolo trumpet and the historical baroque trumpet. This expertise has enabled solo engagements with renowned ensembles such as the Philadelphia Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke's, Trinity Baroque Orchestra, Handel and Haydn Society, Apollo’s Fire and Philharmonia Baroque. In June 2024, Caleb premiered David Biedenbender’s “River of Time” Concerto for Trumpet and Wind Ensemble in Carnegie Hall with Jerry Junkin and the University of Texas Wind Ensemble.
Caleb co-founded "Triple Cortado," an innovative trio featuring Canadian Brass trombonist Achilles Liarmakopoulos and virtuosic pianist Ahmed Alom. This reimagined piano trio explores a diverse range of new compositions and arrangements, pushing the boundaries of brass chamber music.
Beyond performance, Caleb is deeply committed to expanding the brass repertoire. A prolific arranger and composer, his works are often performed by Canadian Brass. His original composition, "White Rose Elegy," debuted at Lincoln Center,performed by the New York Philharmonic Principal Brass.
Caleb's contributions also extend to educational literature; he was the recording artist for the groundbreaking Suzuki Trumpet School, Volume I. He credits his artistic growth to mentors such as Richard Byrd, Vincent DiMartino, Ken Larson, Raymond Mase, Mark Gould, and John Thiessen.
Currently, Caleb serves as the Associate Professor of Trumpet at the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas at Austin. He has previously taught at the University of North Texas and Colorado State University, where his students have achieved professional success in both academic and performance realms. Deeply grateful for the opportunities and insights his musical journey has provided, Caleb is committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians.
Rooted in a deep faith in Christ, Caleb resides in Texas with his wife, Amanda, and their three children.
Caleb is acclaimed for his renditions of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, which he performs on both the modern piccolo trumpet and the historical baroque trumpet. This expertise has enabled solo engagements with renowned ensembles such as the Philadelphia Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke's, Trinity Baroque Orchestra, Handel and Haydn Society, Apollo’s Fire and Philharmonia Baroque. In June 2024, Caleb premiered David Biedenbender’s “River of Time” Concerto for Trumpet and Wind Ensemble in Carnegie Hall with Jerry Junkin and the University of Texas Wind Ensemble.
Caleb co-founded "Triple Cortado," an innovative trio featuring Canadian Brass trombonist Achilles Liarmakopoulos and virtuosic pianist Ahmed Alom. This reimagined piano trio explores a diverse range of new compositions and arrangements, pushing the boundaries of brass chamber music.
Beyond performance, Caleb is deeply committed to expanding the brass repertoire. A prolific arranger and composer, his works are often performed by Canadian Brass. His original composition, "White Rose Elegy," debuted at Lincoln Center,performed by the New York Philharmonic Principal Brass.
Caleb's contributions also extend to educational literature; he was the recording artist for the groundbreaking Suzuki Trumpet School, Volume I. He credits his artistic growth to mentors such as Richard Byrd, Vincent DiMartino, Ken Larson, Raymond Mase, Mark Gould, and John Thiessen.
Currently, Caleb serves as the Associate Professor of Trumpet at the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas at Austin. He has previously taught at the University of North Texas and Colorado State University, where his students have achieved professional success in both academic and performance realms. Deeply grateful for the opportunities and insights his musical journey has provided, Caleb is committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians.
Rooted in a deep faith in Christ, Caleb resides in Texas with his wife, Amanda, and their three children.
2025 Guest Artist Mike Sailors Mike Sailors is an acclaimed trumpeter, composer, and arranger whose career has taken him across the globe, performing at premier venues and festivals throughout Japan, Europe, the United States, and Canada. He has performed at the Blue Note (Tokyo, Sapporo, and New York locations), Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, The Jazz Standard, Yoshi’s, The Jazz Kitchen, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Symphony Space, the Bowery Ballroom, Smalls Jazz Club, Mezzrow, and Smoke Jazz Club. He has also graced the stages of major jazz festivals, including the Tokyo Blue Note Jazz Festival, EFG London Jazz Festival, Detroit Jazz Festival, Ravinia Music Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, and the Montreal Jazz Festival.
Sailors has built an extensive career as a sideman, performing with a diverse range of top-tier ensembles and artists. He has performed with the Birdland Big Band, Bobby Sanabria and The Multiverse Orchestra, The Fat Cat Big Band, Baby Soda Jazz Band, The Hot Sardines, Captain Black Big Band led by Orrin Evans, Jason Marshall Big Band, Steven Feifke Big Band, Charlie Rosen and The 8-Bit Big Band, The Mingus Jazz Orchestra, and Adrian Cunningham and His Old School, the Gerald Wilson Orchestra, Jon Hendricks, Rodney Whitaker, Dick Oatts, Wycliffe Gordon, Peter Bernstein, and many others. As a featured soloist, he has appeared with the Austin Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra, and Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra.
Sailors has also made a significant mark on Broadway, establishing himself as a sought-after trumpet player in New York’s theater scene. He performed in Beautiful – The Carole King Story, Be More Chill, and The Prom, lending his musicianship to some of Broadway’s most beloved productions. Beyond performing, he served as Music Director for Sleep No More from 2014 to 2017, where he helped craft the musical atmosphere for one of the most innovative and immersive theater experiences in recent history.
In addition to performing, Sailors has cultivated a highly regarded career as an arranger and composer. His first major commission in 2005 was for the North American Saxophone Alliance (N.A.S.A.), featuring the late Dewey Redman. Since then, he has been commissioned by Mack Avenue Records, Decca Records, the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. He has also created arrangements for leading jazz musicians such as Ryan Kisor, Sean Jones, Dick Oatts, Rodney Whitaker, Pete Bernstein, and Jimmy Cobb. Most recently, he contributed arrangements for Lady Gaga’s 2023 Jazz & Piano engagement at Park MGM in Las Vegas and for the U.S. Jazz Ambassadors for their recent PBS special "Salute to Service: A Veterans Day Celebration".
Outside of performing, Sailors has served as a Copyist and Editor for the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra beginning in 2017. In 2018, he became the lead Copyist for the Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival, the world’s largest and most prestigious high school jazz competition. In 2019, he joined the faculty of The University of Texas at Austin’s Butler School of Music, where he leads the Jazz Trumpet Studio and mentors emerging artists. He is also an active guest artist and clinician, conducting workshops, masterclasses, and guest artist residencies at high schools and colleges across the country.
In 2024, Sailors co-released his first album as a leader, Elias Haslanger Meets Mike Sailors (Bandstand Presents). Recorded in Austin, Texas, this album features original compositions performed alongside some of the finest talent in the Southwest. He also serves as the Music Director and Arranger for internationally acclaimed artist Aubrey Logan and her Bigger Than Average Band.
Originally from Charleston, South Carolina, Sailors’ musical roots trace back to his early years playing in church. He went on to study at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (2001), Michigan State University (2007), and The University of Texas at Austin (2010). Today, he continues to shape the jazz landscape through performance, composition, and education while actively touring and presenting his projects regionally, nationally and internationally.
Sailors has built an extensive career as a sideman, performing with a diverse range of top-tier ensembles and artists. He has performed with the Birdland Big Band, Bobby Sanabria and The Multiverse Orchestra, The Fat Cat Big Band, Baby Soda Jazz Band, The Hot Sardines, Captain Black Big Band led by Orrin Evans, Jason Marshall Big Band, Steven Feifke Big Band, Charlie Rosen and The 8-Bit Big Band, The Mingus Jazz Orchestra, and Adrian Cunningham and His Old School, the Gerald Wilson Orchestra, Jon Hendricks, Rodney Whitaker, Dick Oatts, Wycliffe Gordon, Peter Bernstein, and many others. As a featured soloist, he has appeared with the Austin Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra, and Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra.
Sailors has also made a significant mark on Broadway, establishing himself as a sought-after trumpet player in New York’s theater scene. He performed in Beautiful – The Carole King Story, Be More Chill, and The Prom, lending his musicianship to some of Broadway’s most beloved productions. Beyond performing, he served as Music Director for Sleep No More from 2014 to 2017, where he helped craft the musical atmosphere for one of the most innovative and immersive theater experiences in recent history.
In addition to performing, Sailors has cultivated a highly regarded career as an arranger and composer. His first major commission in 2005 was for the North American Saxophone Alliance (N.A.S.A.), featuring the late Dewey Redman. Since then, he has been commissioned by Mack Avenue Records, Decca Records, the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. He has also created arrangements for leading jazz musicians such as Ryan Kisor, Sean Jones, Dick Oatts, Rodney Whitaker, Pete Bernstein, and Jimmy Cobb. Most recently, he contributed arrangements for Lady Gaga’s 2023 Jazz & Piano engagement at Park MGM in Las Vegas and for the U.S. Jazz Ambassadors for their recent PBS special "Salute to Service: A Veterans Day Celebration".
Outside of performing, Sailors has served as a Copyist and Editor for the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra beginning in 2017. In 2018, he became the lead Copyist for the Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival, the world’s largest and most prestigious high school jazz competition. In 2019, he joined the faculty of The University of Texas at Austin’s Butler School of Music, where he leads the Jazz Trumpet Studio and mentors emerging artists. He is also an active guest artist and clinician, conducting workshops, masterclasses, and guest artist residencies at high schools and colleges across the country.
In 2024, Sailors co-released his first album as a leader, Elias Haslanger Meets Mike Sailors (Bandstand Presents). Recorded in Austin, Texas, this album features original compositions performed alongside some of the finest talent in the Southwest. He also serves as the Music Director and Arranger for internationally acclaimed artist Aubrey Logan and her Bigger Than Average Band.
Originally from Charleston, South Carolina, Sailors’ musical roots trace back to his early years playing in church. He went on to study at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (2001), Michigan State University (2007), and The University of Texas at Austin (2010). Today, he continues to shape the jazz landscape through performance, composition, and education while actively touring and presenting his projects regionally, nationally and internationally.
2025 Guest Artist Miki Sasaki Mikio (Miki) Sasaki is a highly versatile trumpet performer and educator, known for his ability to seamlessly transition between a wide variety of musical styles. No stranger to the stage, Sasaki is a former member of Atlantic Brass Quintet and Saint Louis Brass and has performed with many prominent ensembles across the United States. His diverse performance career has ranged from symphony orchestras to brass bands to contemporary music to jazz and beyond. Sasaki’s performances have taken him to iconic venues such as Carnegie Hall, Disney Hall, Severance Hall, and the Schubert Theatre on Broadway, as well as international stages in Brazil, Finland, Greece, Canada and Britain. His long and varied resumé adds up to one thing: a deep, enduring love of music and creativity.
In addition to his work with Canadian Brass, Sasaki serves as Assistant Professor of Trumpet at the University of Oregon, having previously taught at Texas Lutheran University and Brooklyn College. He is passionate about mentoring the next generation of trumpet players, regularly presenting masterclasses at institutions across the United States, and teaching at programs such as Juilliard Precollege and the Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts.
Sasaki earned degrees from The Juilliard School, Yale School of Music, and a doctorate from The University of Texas at Austin. He is a GRAMMY Award winner and has an extensive recording catalog that spans genres from orchestral music to indie rock. He actively continues to perform and record new works in our ever-evolving musical landscape. These experiences have led to featured performances at events including the International Trumpet Guild Conference and International Horn Society Conference. Beyond his musical interests, Sasaki enjoys many hobbies. When he’s not on stage or teaching students, he can be found cooking, playing chess, learning Japanese, hiking, or participating in trivia nights. He loves spending time with his wife, Lilla, and their dog, Maci (which translates to “teddy bear” from Hungarian) at their home in beautiful Oregon.
In addition to his work with Canadian Brass, Sasaki serves as Assistant Professor of Trumpet at the University of Oregon, having previously taught at Texas Lutheran University and Brooklyn College. He is passionate about mentoring the next generation of trumpet players, regularly presenting masterclasses at institutions across the United States, and teaching at programs such as Juilliard Precollege and the Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts.
Sasaki earned degrees from The Juilliard School, Yale School of Music, and a doctorate from The University of Texas at Austin. He is a GRAMMY Award winner and has an extensive recording catalog that spans genres from orchestral music to indie rock. He actively continues to perform and record new works in our ever-evolving musical landscape. These experiences have led to featured performances at events including the International Trumpet Guild Conference and International Horn Society Conference. Beyond his musical interests, Sasaki enjoys many hobbies. When he’s not on stage or teaching students, he can be found cooking, playing chess, learning Japanese, hiking, or participating in trivia nights. He loves spending time with his wife, Lilla, and their dog, Maci (which translates to “teddy bear” from Hungarian) at their home in beautiful Oregon.