Meet The Band Members With Bria Skonberg

Following the first concert of our 2025 Concert Series which featured an incredible performance from Bria Skonberg and some amazingly talented musicians, many of our patrons wanted to learn more about this dynamic group! We’ve put together some notes on each of these members plus links to their website where you can learn more about them and enjoy more of their music.


BRIA SKONBERG

Trumpeter \ Singer \ Songwriter \ Educator

Bria Skonberg is a Juno-award winning artist, 10x Downbeat Rising Star, recipient of the Legend Award by the Society for the Preservation of the Great American Songbook and a 2025 nominee for the prestigious "Academie du Jazz" awards. The trumpeter, vocalist, and songwriter has been called the “shining hope of hot jazz”(NY Times) and is considered “one of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation”(WSJ) She has been a featured artist at hundreds of festivals and stages the world over, including New Orleans Jazz Heritage, Kobe, Monterey, Breda, Newport and Montreal Jazz Festivals and recently at Carnegie Hall.

Learn more about Bria here.


MATHIS PICARD

Pianist \ Composer \ Producer \ Band Leader

Mathis Picard, born May 30th, 1995,  is a French-Malagasy pianist, composer, producer, and bandleader who currently resides in New York City. A student of both Jazz & Classical music from an early age, Mathis creates a his own musical style that is influenced by his multi-national background. 

Mathis, who began playing the piano at the age of 3, was immediately passionate about music's healing quality and now focuses on sharing that passion globally. Mathis currently leads a solo project, a trio project and his orchestra, "The Sound Orchestra".

Learn more about Mathis here.


MARK LEWANDOWSKI

Bassist

New York City-based bassist Mark Lewandowski originally hails from Nottingham, England. His interest in the bass took him to London to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Whilst studying at the school Mark was rapidly producing a strong name for himself on the London scene; playing regularly at the world-famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club by only his second year in the capital. He was also awarded the Yamaha Jazz award and is now continuing his studies in New York City as part of the celebrated Artist Diploma program at the prestigious Juilliard School.

Learn more about Mark here.


DARRIAN DOUGLAS

Drums \ Composer \ Educator \ Advocate

Darrian Douglas is an arts leader, educator, and advocate dedicated to empowering the next generation of musicians. As the co-founder and former Executive Director of Second Line Arts Collective (SLAC), he built initiatives that bridged gaps in music education, equipping young artists with the business, creative, and professional tools needed for sustainable careers. Under his leadership, SLAC launched programs that blended mentorship, artistic innovation, and community impact, helping ensure that jazz and creative music thrive in the modern landscape.

A passionate educator, Darrian continues to teach drum set at Jazz House Kids and the NJPAC TD Jazz for Teens program, mentoring young musicians in both technical mastery and artistic expression.

Learn more about Darrian here.


EVAN ARNTZEN

Clarinetist \ Saxophonist \ Vocalist \ Educator

Canadian-born clarinetist, saxophonist, vocalist and educator Evan Arntzen is both a powerful soloist and a keenly attuned musical collaborator. He has developed a uniquely expressive sound as an improviser on his instruments that Grammy Award-Winning author Ricky Riccardi calls “the very definition of timeless.”

Evan earned his MM in Jazz Performance from Manhattan School of Music (2022), studying privately with Jaleel Shaw and David Krakauer. A passionately engaged educator, he is the Artist Associate in Saxophone at Williams College and also maintains a private studio in his home and virtually. He is in-demand as a clinician on high school and college campuses and teaches jazz history and appreciation courses for Dorot’s University Without Walls and the New Horizons International Music Association.

Learn more about Evan here.

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Gallery - Bria Skonberg