CAJW Faculty and Staff

The Cape Ann Jazz Workshop is guided by a distinguished team of performers, composers, and educators who lead small ensembles; teach electives in improvisation, theory, composition, and jazz history; support full-group activities; and perform in faculty showcases throughout the workshop. Under the artistic leadership of Alexa Tarantino, our faculty bring real-world professional experience and a deep commitment to mentorship. Together, they create a vibrant, supportive, and inspiring environment for young musicians to grow.

Alexa Tarantino, Director — Saxophone / Woodwinds

Described by Wynton Marsalis as “a one-woman wrecking crew… an indomitable force for expression, education, and absolute excellence,” Alexa Tarantino is a vibrant and versatile jazz saxophonist and woodwind artist whose performances and recordings have earned international acclaim. A triple DownBeat Critics Poll Rising Star Alto Saxophonist (2020–2022), a JazzTimes Critics Poll Top 5 Alto Saxophonist (2019), and a Centennial Award recipient from the Eastman School of Music (2022), she tours worldwide with Cécile McLorin Salvant, Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and the Alexa Tarantino Quartet. Her albums Firefly, Clarity, and Winds of Change have topped jazz radio charts, and she is a highly sought-after clinician and visiting educator for Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Education: MM in Jazz Studies, The Juilliard School; BM in Jazz Saxophone Performance & Music Education (Certificate in Arts Leadership), Eastman School of Music. Co-Founder & Director, Cape Ann Jazz Workshop (est. 2014).

Emiliano Lasansky — Bass / Jazz History

Bassist and composer Emiliano Lasansky blends tradition and innovation, creating music that unifies elements of the past and present in compelling new ways. Born in Iowa City and raised in a family of visual artists, he draws inspiration from his grandfather Mauricio Lasansky, a renowned Argentine American printmaker. Emiliano’s career includes awards such as a 2023 ASCAP Foundation composition prize and third prize in the Scott LaFaro Bass Competition. His performances span the West Coast and beyond, and his debut album as a bandleader is forthcoming. He has also released Kin on the Outside In Music label.
Education: MM, Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA; BM, Eastman School of Music.

Eric Metzgar — Drums / Rhythm Section

Drummer Eric Metzgar is an accomplished and versatile performer whose work spans jazz, pop, and orchestral music. He has collaborated with artists including Sutton Foster, Delfeayo Marsalis, Joe Locke, Shayna Steele, Byron Stripling, and Jeff Tyzik, and he maintains an active schedule as both performer and educator. A committed teacher, Eric works with students of all levels through private instruction, workshops, and school residencies, offering a grounded approach to rhythm, groove, and ensemble performance.
Education: MM in Music Teaching & Learning, Eastman School of Music; BM in Drum Set Performance, Eastman School of Music.

Levi Saelua — Saxophone / Composition

An award-winning composer and saxophonist, Levi Saelua maintains an active career performing with, and writing for, artists and ensembles across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. He performs regularly with Triism, Tenor Explosion, Joe Mazzaferro, Alex Jenkins, and the Capital Jazz Project, and serves as director of Colossus West and co-director of the Pacific Standard Jazz Orchestra. His work spans chamber jazz, contemporary composition, and ensemble leadership. Levi’s musical foundation began in Sacramento’s renowned Rio Americano High School jazz program before developing into a wide-ranging professional career.
Education: BM in Saxophone Performance & Jazz Composition studies, Eastman School of Music (saxophone with Chien-Kwan Lin, Jose Encarnacion, Charles Pillow; composition with Bill Dobbins and Dave Rivello).

Mike Conrad — Trombone / Composition

Composer, improviser, pianist, and trombonist Mike Conrad is widely recognized for his award-winning writing and vibrant creative output. He has received four ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards, seven DownBeat Awards, the 2023 Sammy Nestico Award, and a SONIC Award from the International Society of Arrangers and Composers. His works have been performed internationally, including by the Metropole Orkest, ensembles at Carnegie Hall, and at the 2013 U.S. Presidential Inauguration. Recent projects include his Fertile Soil Suite with the Iowa Jazz Composers Orchestra and recordings with the Mike Conrad Trio. A highly collaborative musician, he performs on piano and trombone with groups throughout the Midwest and is in demand as a clinician and guest director.
Education: DA, University of Northern Colorado; MM, Eastman School of Music; BM & BME, University of Northern Iowa. Associate Professor of Jazz Studies & Music Education, University of Northern Iowa.

Nick Finzer — Trombone / Theory

Hailed as a “Rising Star” by the DownBeat Critics Poll, Nick Finzer is a leading voice in modern jazz trombone and an internationally recognized performer, composer, and educator. His dynamic career includes collaborations with Wynton Marsalis, Anat Cohen, Ryan Truesdell’s Gil Evans Project, and major jazz ensembles across the world. As a bandleader, his seven critically acclaimed albums have earned Top-10 JazzWeek chart placements and wide industry recognition. Nick is also the founder of Outside In Music, a forward-thinking record label and media company supporting emerging jazz artists. In 2018, he became the inaugural Assistant Professor of Jazz Trombone at the University of North Texas (UNT), one of the nation’s premier jazz programs.
Education: MM in Jazz Trombone, The Juilliard School; BM in Jazz Studies, Eastman School of Music.

Steven Feifke — Piano / Theory

GRAMMY Award–winning pianist, composer, and arranger Steven Feifke is one of today’s most sought-after jazz creators. Heralded as a “masterful pianist” (JAZZIZ) and praised for the “infectious joy” of his writing (DownBeat), he has performed and recorded internationally with artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Christian McBride, the Metropole Orkest, the New York Pops, and the Toronto Symphony. His music spans over 45 commercial recordings and includes scores for The Masked Singer, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, Animaniacs, and award-winning films. Steven is also a respected educator, with guest teaching and residency engagements at Juilliard, Yale, Jazz at Lincoln Center, NYU, UT Austin, and more, as well as a global online presence through his large-ensemble composition platform Lead Sheet to Large Ensemble.
Education: BM in Jazz Composition & Piano Performance, New York University (Steinhardt).

Rockport Music Education Staff

Elizabeth Stefan — Director of Education & Partnerships

Elizabeth Stefan is a violist, educator, and arts administrator whose work spans teaching artistry, community engagement, and organizational leadership. Before joining Rockport Music, she served as Program Director and Resident Musician at musiConnects, where she taught young violinists and violists and helped shape long-term, community-rooted music programs. She has also held teaching positions with Making Music Matters and the Community Music Center of Boston and was a META Fellow with the Massachusetts Cultural Council, presenting research on the support systems teaching artists need to thrive. As a performing violist, Elizabeth has been a founding member of ensembles including the Sumner Quartet and Phoenix.
Education: BM and Arts Leadership Certificate, Eastman School of Music; MM, New England Conservatory.

Greg Jukes — Education Coordinator

Greg Jukes (he/him) is a percussionist, narrator, and arts administrator whose career bridges performance, education, and creative program development. A co-founder of the hybrid-arts ensemble The Fourth Wall, he has toured nationally and internationally with performances praised for their innovation and interdisciplinary imagination. Greg has narrated orchestral programs such as The Thrill of the Orchestra and Peter and the Wolf for thousands of young listeners, writing scripts and concert narratives that make classical music engaging and accessible. He also helped create and manage the Beat Bus, an interactive drumming program serving children across Greater Boston. In addition to performing, Greg oversees administrative, educational, and directing projects with arts organizations throughout New England.
Education: BM in Percussion Performance, Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University.