Biography

Named one of Canada’s “hottest 30 classical musicians under 30,” Jarrett McCourt has been praised for his “magnificent” playing (Palm Beach Daily News) and his “warm, romantic and seamless” sound (South Florida Classical Review).
Jarrett currently serves as Assistant Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at the UMKC Conservatory, and is Principal Tuba of both the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra and the Santa Fe Opera. He has also held positions as Principal Tuba of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and as a Fellow of the New World Symphony. He has built a reputation for stepping in at the last minute — most notably joining the Berlin Philharmonic in Berlin and on their month-long North American tour to perform Mahler’s Seventh Symphony under Kirill Petrenko, and jumping in with the Canadian Brass when their tubist was unable to perform. He has also appeared with leading ensembles such as the Chicago Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Utah Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra.
As a soloist, Jarrett won the top prize in the brass category of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal’s Standard Life Competition in 2014, becoming the first tubist in the competition’s 80-year history to do so. He was also a finalist in the XVI Tchaikovsky Competition in St. Petersburg, Russia — the inaugural year for brass — and the only North American tubist to reach the live rounds. A champion of new music, Jarrett has commissioned works by composers including Nicole Lizée, Kevin Day, and Gala Flagello, and has released two solo albums: Golden Hour (2022) and Voyager (2024). Recent international tours have taken him to South Africa, Thailand, and Colombia for concerto appearances, recitals, and masterclasses.
Beyond performing, Jarrett is committed to the intersection of music and wellness. He is a certified yoga instructor (YTT200) and a certified crisis hotline worker (Crisis Text Line), and he frequently speaks on mental health for musicians on platforms including The Brass Junkies, Sound Mind Musician, That’s Not Spit It’s Condensation, and The Mindful Musical Life Podcast.
Jarrett earned a Bachelor of Music in Tuba Performance and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Western Ontario, and a Master of Music in Tuba Performance and Chamber Music from the University of Michigan.