OCSA JAZZ
Where passion meets purpose.
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OCSA JAZZ Partner:
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OCSA JAZZ NEWS:
About the school...
The Osceola County School for the Arts (OCSA) is a leading public arts school in the greater Orlando area, recognized by U.S. News & World Report among the nation’s top-ranked high schools. The school’s outstanding band and orchestra program includes four jazz bands, three jazz combos, three concert bands, three string orchestras, and a full symphony orchestra. These ensembles consistently demonstrate musical excellence, earning Superior ratings at Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA) District and State Music Performance Assessments.
OCSA students are passionate, highly motivated, and dedicated to their artistic growth. Music majors regularly earn selection to Florida Music Education Association (FMEA) All-State Ensembles and prestigious national programs, including YoungArts and the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA). Recent achievements further underscore the program’s exceptional caliber, with OCSA’s Jazz A earning first place at the 2026 Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival and its Wind Ensemble winning the 2026 President’s Cup National Concert Band Invitation.
About the Jazz Program...
The OCSA Jazz curriculum cultivates leadership, creativity, collaboration, and the development of each student’s unique musical perspective. Students explore the rich traditions of jazz by studying the works of legendary artists and composers, including Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Thad Jones, as well as influential Latin jazz pioneers such as Machito, Ray Santos, and Mario Bauzá.
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Each jazz ensemble meets every other day for 110 minutes. The top ensemble, Jazz A, rehearses daily, alternating between a focus on big-band repertoire and small-group improvisation. All ensembles perform regularly, while Jazz A maintains an especially rigorous performance schedule comparable to that of a competitive travel sports team.
The OCSA Jazz program has a lasting impact on students, fostering musical excellence, personal growth, and opportunities for higher education. Alumni have earned scholarships to some of the nation’s most prestigious universities and conservatories. In one recent graduating class, two students received full-tuition scholarships to attend the renowned Juilliard School in New York City.
About the Director...
Jason G.M. Anderson — Director of Jazz Studies, OCSA
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Jason G.M. Anderson is the Director of Jazz Studies at the Osceola County School for the Arts (OCSA), where he leads one of the nation’s most accomplished high school jazz programs. A graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston, he studied with legendary saxophonists Bill Pierce, Andy McGhee, and George Garzone, as well as master saxophone technician Joe Viola.​
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Following college, Anderson was selected by the U.S. Department of State to serve as a Jazz Ambassador to North and West Africa, promoting the rich tradition and cultural significance of jazz. His professional performance credits include tours with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and the Illinois Jacquet Big Band, along with performances alongside an impressive roster of internationally recognized artists, including Robert Glasper, Natalie Cole, Christian McBride, Roy Hargrove, Nicholas Payton, Elliot Mason, Cyrus Chestnut, Jimmy Greene, Adam Rapa, Jeremy Pelt, and Miguel Zenón.​ In addition to his performing career, Anderson is an accomplished arranger whose work spans a variety of musical styles. Among his notable credits is the big-band arrangement he composed for Christina Aguilera’s 2015 NBA All-Star performance.
Since joining OCSA in August 2021, Anderson has led an extraordinary period of growth and achievement for the school’s jazz program. Under his direction, Jazz A captured first place at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s prestigious Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival in both 2022 and 2023. The ensemble continued its remarkable record with a second-place finish in 2024, third place in 2025, and a return to the top in 2026, winning the international competition and earning recognition as the world’s leading high school jazz ensemble. These results give OCSA Jazz A five consecutive years of top-three finishes and three championship titles in five years.Beyond competition, Anderson has helped develop a comprehensive jazz program serving students in grades 7–12, encompassing multiple big bands, jazz combos, and opportunities for emerging musicians. He is also a sought-after clinician who shares his expertise with student musicians and educators. Outside the classroom, he enjoys performing regularly with his wife, jazz vocalist and educator Monica Lynk Anderson.