International jazz drummer and educator Howard Curtis joins the JAM MUSIC LAB Faculty

JAM MUSIC LAB Private University for Jazz and Popular Music Vienna is delighted to welcome T. Howard Curtis III to its international faculty. As Lecturer for Drums and Ensemble, the renowned jazz drummer, percussionist and educator will share his extensive artistic and academic experience with the next generation of musicians at JAM.

Curtis has built a multifaceted international career spanning performance, recording and music education. He has performed and recorded with leading jazz artists including Charlie Haden and the Liberation Orchestra, Kurt Elling, Randy Brecker, Eddie Gomez, Clark Terry, John Abercrombie, Mulgrew Miller, Bob Mintzer, Sheila Jordan and Joe Chambers.

His concert career has taken him to celebrated festivals and venues across Europe and the United States, including the Monterey Jazz Festival, Atlanta Jazz Festival, Ljubljana Jazz Festival, Vienna Jazz Festival, Jazz Baltica, the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian Institution, Blue Note and Porgy & Bess Vienna.

Alongside his work as a performing jazz musician, Curtis brings decades of experience in higher music education. He has taught at institutions including Hampton University, Virginia Commonwealth University and the Peabody Institute in Baltimore. Since 2010, he has served as Professor of Music and Head of the Jazz Drum Department at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz.

At JAM MUSIC LAB, Curtis will teach jazz drums and work with student ensembles, combining rhythmic precision, creative interaction and the experience of a life devoted to jazz. His approach reflects JAM’s commitment to connecting university-level music education with professional artistic practice and the international jazz scene.

We warmly welcome T. Howard Curtis III to JAM and look forward to the energy, knowledge and musical curiosity he will bring to our students and the wider JAM community.