When is iGnitE?
TBD, Madison Area (to ensure there is enough spaces for programming, location will be dependent on the number of participants interested)
This year’s camp is intended for students who plan to attend every day. Camp runs from June 15-19, 2026. Each day, camp will run from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM.
Every musician at camp will make music in large jazz ensembles (either big band and/or alternative large creative ensembles) and in small group jazz combo settings. Musicians will work with the same group every day as they prepare to perform in a showcase concert at the end of camp.
Each musician will choose two elective courses. Electives meet daily throughout camp and take a deeper dive into topics of interest. These will be announced closer to the camp dates, but could feature any of the following topics:
Tuition costs are $375 per student. You do not need to pay tuition at the time you fill out this form. A registration form with payment information will be sent out in March to students who fill out this form. Financial assistance may be available for students who cannot afford tuition.
Renee’ C. Baker is a visual artist, film artist, composer, and recontextualist, Baker is a true engineer of multi-disciplines. Layering movement and film projections, she creates an exquisite arena of surrealistic activity within a sonic theatre. Her compositions, crafted with careful construction, allowing indeterminacy, experimentalism, classicism, subjectivity, and objective interpretations to coexist. Both performer and audience are cast into unknown roles, inhabiting a temporary environment of limitless potential. Baker is a member and interim Chair of the renowned Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). Her graphic score novels have received critical acclaim from performances in Berlin, Poland, London, Scotland, and Vietnam. More at https://www.reneebakercomposer.net
John Becker has been a performer and educator in the Madison jazz music scene for many years. He plays jazz at the drum set, piano, vibraphone, hand drums, and also orchestral and classical percussion. John is a prolific composer of original jazz music. He is a Wisconsin native but started his career playing professionally in Los Angeles for several years. Upon returning to Madison, he taught percussion as adjunct faculty at UW-Whitewater. For the past three decades, John has also been a full-time music educator, teaching general music (and improvising in jazz) to elementary school age students in the Middleton-Cross Plains schools. He directs the choir at Wisconsin Lutheran Chapel in Madison and enjoys sharing the joy of jazz with people of all ages.
Pawan Benjamin has made a global name for himself as an artist over the last decade and a half. A veteran for over 15 years of the New York City music scene, Pawan has performed in traditional and modern settings as both an in demand saxophonist, bansuri flutist, composer and producer. In 2018, Pawan was awarded the prestigious Van Lier Foundation award for emerging artists in New York City, and recorded his first record, “Tinte Baja” as a homage to his Nepali American heritage.
Pawan has had the opportunity to perform with artists such as Reggie Workman, Roscoe Mitchell, Nicholas Payton, Brandee Younger, Marc Cary, Mike Stern, Sameer Gupta, Rez Abassi, The Cab Calloway Orchestra, the Temptations / Four Tops, and dancer and choreographer Bill T Jones among many notable others.
As a saxophone student Pawan has studied with Hanah Jon Taylor, Roscoe Mitchell, Bob Mintzer, Steve Wilson, Steve Slagle, Donny McCaslin and Dan Blake, and is a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music. https://pawanbenjamin.com
Bandleader and composer Noah Brooks aims to create original jazz music influenced by the traditional Blue Note sound and modern pop music. His music uses simple and catchy melodic lines that are easy for listeners to remember, and are blended with traditional bebop harmonic progressions and musical style.
Austin Cebulske is a saxophonist, educator, and composer hailing from the historically and culturally vibrant music scene of St. Louis, Missouri. He is currently residing in Madison, WI, where he serves as Lecturer of Saxophone & Music at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
As a performer, Austin has been an active recording and performing musician having released several albums as a leader. He can also be heard as a sideman on recordings with artists like the Funky Butt Brass Band, Drew Zaremba’s Big Band, & the Zach Rich Sextet. Throughout his career, Austin has been privileged to perform with such luminaries as Sheila Jordan, Vincent Gardner, Donald Harrison, Carmen Bradford, Dick Oatts, and Marquis Hill. His extensive performance history has led him throughout Europe and across much of the United States, including to such iconic venues as Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Jazz At the Bistro, Frederick P. Rose Hall at Lincoln Center and Dazzle Denver. https://www.austincebulskejazz.com
Lucy Croasdale is a performer, composer, and educator originally from Madison, WI. She is a multi-instrumentalist who enjoys playing many different genres of music. While her main focus is saxophone performance (both jazz and classical), she also has a passion for pedagogy and composition/arranging. Lucy has created and led a beginner’s jazz workshop back in September 2021 – March 2022 and was commissioned to compose a jazz big band chart for the 2022 Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration Weekend at Lawrence University.
Lucy Croasdale holds a Master’s in Music Performance at The University of Texas at Austin where she studied with Dr. Stephen Page and a Bachelor of Music Performance with a Jazz Emphasis from Lawrence University where she studied with Steven Jordheim and Jose Encarnacion.
Adam Czerepinski was born and raised on the east side of Madison, WI, and after twenty years living on the east coast, once again calls Madison home. Proficient as a multi-instrumentalist, Adam is a versatile keyboard and bass player, and one of the ok-est trumpet and flute players in town.
As a teenager, Adam was awarded a full scholarship to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in Jazz Composition he continued his studies at the Manhattan School of Music where he earned a master’s degree in Jazz Performance and a doctorate in Jazz Arts Advancement.
Adam leads several bands in the Madison area, including the devastating jazz/groove supergroup, Hornado. https://www.adamcz.com
Sally De Broux is a vocalist, improviser, and teacher/facilitator who brings joy, playfulness, and musicality to her sessions. She leads vocal improvisation and circle singing inspired by the work of her mentor and teacher, renowned vocalists Rhiannon and Bobby McFerrin. Based in Madison, she performs with a variety of jazz musicians and enjoys collaborating with other artists who share a love of improvisation. Sally is passionate about helping singers of all ages and experience levels find freedom and connection through vocal exploration. Her work emphasizes improvisation and group singing as pathways to creativity, community, and personal expression—making music accessible and meaningful for everyone.
Devin Drobka is one of the most in-demand and creative musicians in the Midwest for the past 15 years. Audiences around the world have been enthralled with his wide sonic palette and limitless rhythmic possibilities on the drums. A deep love of jazz, metal, folk, hip-hop, ambient, idm, and classical music has helped shaped Devin’s unique voice and vision on the drums both as a leader and as a sideman. His highly personal and creative drumming can be heard within the realm of jazz having performed with Greg Osby, Jerry Bergonzi, Dayna Stephens, and Joe Lovano as well as indie- folk bands like Field Report and indie rappers R.A.P. Ferreira and Serengeti. Devin can be heard on over 50 albums of genre bending, original music for which he is an advocate for. Devin currently composes music for his newest group, The Devin Drobka Trio, which draws upon his love of contemporary classical music and minimalism and his multi horn group, Bell Dance Songs, which is a response to his love of Albert Ayler, Paul Motian, and Ornette Coleman. Devin’s music has been described as “sounding like nothing else in midwestern jazz” and “gorgeous, innovative.”https://www.devindrobka.com
Sean was brought onto the Hancock Center’s team as the Operations Manager in November of 2023. Since achieving his BA in Dance and Arts Management in 2020, he has worked in a variety of administrative roles in the dance and educational fields and has taught dance lessons for K-12 students.
Sean is a dedicated tap dancer, music fanatic, fantasy nerd, and loving father to his cat and many houseplants.
Hannah Johnson provides an adventurous and joyful approach to her musical endeavors. Hannah’s desire to express herself in various genres keeps her busy composing and playing drums within the jazz idiom as well as folk + indie music. Hannah leads Milwaukee based quartet, Heirloom and is a highly sought-after side musician, playing with numerous regional and international artists and bands. She recently toured with soul and R&B artist, Durand Jones, who opened for country musician, Orville Peck, on his North American “Stampede Tour”. She currently works as an educator at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, Falls School of Music, as well as her private home studio. https://hannahjohnsonmusic.com
Jordan Kowalski currently teaches the jazz band at Vel Phillips Memorial High School, and assists in teaching Music 103 at the University of Wisconsin. He has held teaching positions at the University of Miami’s “MusicReach” program and Guitars Over Guns Nonprofit, in addition to public K-12 and private studio teaching. Jordan is also dedicated to strengthening Madison’s live music community and does so by serving as a board member of the Madison Music Collective, hosting public music events like the Zuzu’s latin jazz jam on Sundays, and fostering a sense of connectedness whenever possible. Jordan holds a Master’s degree in Jazz Pedagogy from the Frost school of music at the University of Miami, and a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies from the University of Wisconsin. He has also studied Cuban music in Camaguey, Cuba, and Brazillian music at the California Brazil Camp in Cazadero, CA. Jordan is currently a graduate student in Musicology at the University of Wisconsin. https://jordankowalski.weebly.com
Laurie Lang is an educator, community organizer, bassist and composer. Laurie is the current president of the Madison Jazz Society. She is highly motivated to bring jazz and music educators together and to work together to nurture creative improvisation in our local arts culture. Laurie had the distinct privilege to study bass violin, Black Music Ensemble and jazz history with late and great Richard Davis. Laurie has performed with many Madison Area musicians and has led several groups, recordings and multi-disciplinary projects. As an educator, Laurie has worked in many area schools as a jazz artist-in-residence, organized the Improv Music Workshop, facilitates Madison Jazz Jam and Workshops and worked on COPA Madison’s Harmony Madison project at One City Schools. Laurie is committed to all ages, all levels accessible music education. LaurieLangMusic.com
Dr. Amy Lewis is the daughter of Jayne McShann Lewis and Bennie Lewis and is the granddaughter of Frances McShann Shelton and jazz pianist Jay McShann. Dr. Lewis is a research associate as an Anna Julia Cooper Fellow in the Mead Witter School of Music at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her research is focused on systemic oppression, equity, and racism in music education. As a public music teacher, she taught K-1, 6-8 general music, beginning band, middle school choir, and jazz band in the Chicagoland suburbs. She received the 2022 Compass Visionary Award, the 2019 Black Faculty, Staff, and Administrators Association Emerging Leader Award, and was also named the 2015 Illinois Education Association Teacher of the Year. She earned her B.M.E. degree from DePaul University, M.A. from Concordia University, and Ph.D. from Michigan State University. Her work is published in The Bulletin for the Council of Research in Music Education, Action, Criticism, & Theory in Music Education, and Michigan Music Educator Journal, and she is on the editorial board of the Research and Issues in Music Education Journal.
Leah Reinardy is a multi-instrumentalist, improviser, and composer whose creative work is most informed by limitations. As a disabled artist, they view their limitations as parameters that spark the creative process rather than barriers to overcome. Leah studied percussion and jazz piano at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, where they served as musical director for tap master Heather Cornell for 2 years. This transformative experience led them to intentionally seek collaborations with dancers of many disciplines including tap, samba, maracatu, and ballet.
Katherine Schmit is a teaching and performing artist based out of Madison, Wisconsin. She is the brass instructor at the Wilder Deitz School for Creative Music and a founding member of The Wayword Ensemble. In the Spring of 2025, Katherine earned a master’s degree in trumpet performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied with Jean Laurenz. She earned her bachelors degree in music education with an emphasis in trumpet performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Hanah Jon Taylor is arguably the preeminent saxophonist and flutist in Madison jazz and a leading catalyst, organizer and educator in inter-arts programming. Taylor was founder and director of The Madison Center for the Creative and Cultural Arts, which offered concerts and multi-arts classes. Taylor also directed Freedom Fest, which presented such world-class performers as Archie Shepp, Sonny Fortune, Richard Davis, Cecil McBee, Edward Wilkerson, acclaimed Chicago singer Dee Alexander, and Corey Wilkes and Roscoe Mitchell of the legendary Art Ensemble of Chicago.
With a career spanning over 30 years, Mr. Taylor has appeared with songwriter/folk artist Richie Havens, percussionist Steve McCall, the Colson Unity Troupe, saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell, pianist Jobic LeMasson, the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, bassists Rafael Garrett and Malachi Favors, and the Great Black Music Ensemble of Chicago.
Taylor moved to Madison years ago from Chicago and has been a long-time member of the influential Chicago-based Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). He has performed worldwide with musicians ranging from Woodstock-famous singer-songwriter Richie Havens to Nina Simone, Miles Davis, and many of the AACM’s leading lights. Taylor has a substantial reputation in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Today Taylor is the owner of Madison’s premier jazz venue, Cafe Coda. https://cafecoda.club
Dan VanZeeland is a composer, pianist, and graduate student at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Thomas Wieland is a composer, saxophonist, and graduate student at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Renee’ C. Baker is a visual artist, film artist, composer, and recontextualist, Baker is a true engineer of multi-disciplines. Layering movement and film projections, she creates an exquisite arena of surrealistic activity within a sonic theatre. Her compositions, crafted with careful construction, allowing indeterminacy, experimentalism, classicism, subjectivity, and objective interpretations to coexist. Both performer and audience are cast into unknown roles, inhabiting a temporary environment of limitless potential. Baker is a member and interim Chair of the renowned Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). Her graphic score novels have received critical acclaim from performances in Berlin, Poland, London, Scotland, and Vietnam. More at https://www.reneebakercomposer.net
