09/12/2025
Student Spotlight Event
Jonas Ballantyne is a junior pianist from Stroudsburg High School in Monroe County. He began playing piano at the age of seven and started studying jazz piano when he was 13. He studied jazz piano for three years at the Manhattan School of Music Precollege in New York City. Since then, he has represented Stroudsburg High School in the PMEA District Jazz Band and had the honor of receiving the 2025 DownBeat Student Award for Best Jazz Soloist.
Reid Justeson is a jazz saxophonist and composer from Kutztown, Pennsylvania. A rising high school senior, Reid has been a member of the Steel Stacks All Star Jazz Band in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania for two years, and was lead tenor saxophone player in the PMEA All-State Jazz Ensemble in 2025. Reid performs and records locally with the Sharp Five quintet, Esteban Ruiz trio, M & J Big Band, his sextet and other small ensembles throughout the Lehigh Valley and Berks County. Inspired by composers such as Billy Strayhorn, Darcy James Argue, Stevie Wonder, Wayne Shorter, and Gil Evans to name a few, his compositions pull from various genres and subject matters to create his own unique style.
Julian Lee, 14 yo, primarily plays the vibraphone and piano, as well as drums, bass, and trumpet. He is involved with youth jazz ensembles in the Lehigh Valley area with Dan Wilkins, Dave Roth, and Adam Nussbaum. He is a vibraphonist for the Advanced Jazz Ensemble with Tony Miceli, Honors Jazz Combo with Chris Oatts and the Philadelphia Youth Jazz Orchestra with Justin Faulkner. He was a semi-finalist at a recent international Vibraphone Festival. He enjoys collaborating with musicians and performing at various events and venues, such as MusikFest, Ice House Jazz Fest, The Deer Head Inn, Kimmel Center, The Union League and Chris' Jazz Cafe. He gives back to the community by sharing music demonstrations at The Settlement Music School and Barnes Foundation. He is grateful to call Tony Miceli as his teacher, and aforementioned musicians as his mentors.
John Stana, drum kit, from Easton, PA, is a senior at the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts. He has performed with the PMEA District Jazz Band, District Orchestra, District Concert Band, and Regional Orchestra. John has also performed at Cota jazz festival in Delaware water Gap. In addition, John plays quints for the Easton High School Marching Band, where the drum line earned multiple percussion and battery awards.
