Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Attending Essentially Ellington in 2011 was a major achievement for Altin Sencalar from Temple High School (Texas). During the festival, he performed in a jam session and even received a 30-minute lesson from Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra trombonist Elliot Mason, an experience that helped shape his path forward. Today, Altin is a professional musician and jazz studies professor at the University of Colorado Boulder. In this month’s Alumni Spotlight, he reflects on the power of mentorship, life as a performer, and splitting his time between New York and Colorado.
Are you a Jazz at Lincoln Center Alumni? Learn more at jazz.org/alumni
Attending Essentially Ellington in 2011 was a major achievement for Altin Sencalar from Temple High School (Texas). During the festival, he performed in a jam session and even received a 30-minute lesson from Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra trombonist Elliot Mason, an experience that helped shape his path forward. Today, Altin is a professional musician and jazz studies professor at the University of Colorado Boulder. In this month’s Alumni Spotlight, he reflects on the power of mentorship, life as a performer, and splitting his time between New York and Colorado.
Are you a Jazz at Lincoln Center Alumni? Learn more at jazz.org/alumni
