Described by Eugene Rousseau as, “a talented saxophonist,” Jason T. Laczkoski is an experienced performer, conductor, and educator. Jason has presented numerous solo and chamber recitals throughout the United States in addition to frequent appearances at North American Saxophone Alliance conferences and the International Navy Saxophone Symposium. He has performed with both collegiate and high school orchestras as a featured soloist.

Laczkoski studied saxophone with Dr. Joseph Murphy at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania. While completing a bachelor’s degree in music, with a minor in education, he won both the annual Mansfield University concerto competition and the Pennsylvania MTNA young artist competition.

Upon completion of his undergraduate studies, Laczkoski went on to earn a master’s degree in saxophone performance from the University of Iowa where he studied with world renowned saxophonist Dr. Kenneth Tse. He was awarded the saxophone teaching assistantship during this time and also went on to win the Iowa MTNA young artist competition. Jason remained at the University of Iowa for his doctoral studies. Jason is ABD and expects completion of this degree in the near future. In addition to his saxophone studies at Iowa, Jason completed a secondary area in conducting, studying with Myron Welch and Richard Mark Heidel.

An advocate of new music, Jason is constantly seeking out composers who write both intellectual and beautiful music. He has commissioned music by such composers as Ian Stewart, Sy Brandon, David DeBoor Canfield, Baljinder Sekhon, John Griffin, and Josh Gottry. Jason is an active member of the North American Saxophone Alliance. He is a Yamaha Performing Artist and performs exclusively on Yamaha saxophones. Jason is an E. Rousseau Mouthpiece Artist and performs exclusively on E. Rousseau mouthpieces.

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Brett Cooper, a native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is the Senior Development Associate and Volunteer Services Coordinator at the Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He is a pianist and organist at Westminster Presbyterian Church and is pursuing his master’s degree in piano performance at the University of South Dakota as a student of Dr. Susan Keith Gray.

Mr. Cooper is a graduate of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where he received the Distinction in Accompanying and Collaborative Keyboard Performance Award and was a recipient of the Theodore Presser Award. Mr. Cooper is an enthusiastic pianist/accompanist in the region and has worked with a variety of students and ensembles. Recent collaborative partners include Augustana University, the University of South Dakota, Opera South Dakota, the Worthington Area Symphony Orchestra, and the Singing Boys of Sioux Falls.

Brett and his wife Laura reside in Sioux Falls with their dog Stella and they are founding members of the White Spruce Chamber Players, a South Dakota-based ensemble showcasing accessible chamber music for strings and piano.

The NMM Live! Series is made possible by the USD Student Government Association and the South Dakota Arts Council through the Department of Tourism, and the National Endowment for the Arts.