The U.S. Army Blues Solo Competition

As the premier jazz ensemble of The United States Army, The U.S. Army Blues is a group of historical importance whose repertoire honors and remembers some of the most important eras in American history. Comprised of exceptional jazz musicians from across the nation, the Army Blues strives to fulfill its mission through public concerts and education outreach; representing the professional excellence of the Army while preserving the tradition of America’s unique art form: jazz.

In an effort to further this mission and highlight the excellence of the next generation of jazz musicians, the Army Blues hosts an annual solo competition to recognize and celebrate talented young musicians. The winners of this year’s Solo Competition will be featured at a concert at University of Maryland Baltimore campus on April 19, 2026.

Submission Instructions

All application materials are due on February 15, 2026. Winners will be notified no later than February 21, 2026.

Questions? E-mail SFC James Collins and SSG Daniel Andrews.

Competition Eligibility

Eligible instruments: Voice, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Piano, Guitar, Bass, Vibraphone and drum set.
Click the “Apply Here!” button to submit a link (YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, etc.) to a video recording of the applicant performing the required musical selections with live rhythm section, play-along recording or metronome. Please ensure the video is viewable without a login. For the most privacy, we recommend YouTube “unlisted” privacy settings.
Do not e-mail video files.

High School Division

Open to U.S. citizens currently enrolled in DC-area high schools (grades 9 - 12), to include the District of Columbia, Prince Georges Co., Montgomery Co., Howard Co., Anne Arundel Co., Baltimore Co., Fairfax Co., Fairfax City, City of Falls Church, Prince William Co., Loudoun Co., Arlington Co., Alexandria City. Applications may be accepted from students who do not live in these jurisdictions, but have a connection to them through either a musical organization or a private teacher.

Collegiate Division

Open to all U.S. citizens age 26 and younger as of May 1, 2026, currently enrolled in a college, university, or conservatory in the United States, or who graduated from a degree program in December 2025.

Repertoire

Now's the Time (Charlie Parker) Head and improvised choruses; 150-180bpm
Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars) (Antonio Carlos Jobim) Head and two improvised choruses; Bossa Nova
The total recorded submission should not exceed 8 minutes in length (no out heads necessary)

After You've Gone (Turner Layton) - Fast Uptempo swing; head and improvised choruses
Skylark (Hoagie Carmichael) - Head and one improvised chorus; ballad tempo
Chega De Saudade (Antonio Carlos Jobim) - Head and two improvised choruses; samba feel
The total recorded submission should not exceed 12 minutes in length (no out heads necessary)

Past Winners

Collegiate Division

Year	Winner	School
2019	Brendan Malloy (Guitar)	The University of North Texas (Denton, TX)
2020	Liam Sutcliffe (Trumpet)	Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ)
2021	Austin Ford (Trumpet)	The University of North Texas (Denton, TX)
2022	Ben Turner (Guitar)	Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI)
2023	Christian Ertl (Saxophone)	Temple University (Philadelphia, PA)
2024	Nareg Boghosian	George Mason University (Fairfax, VA)
2025	Isaiah Nygard	The University of North Texas (Denton, TX)

High School Division

Year	Winner	School
2019	Nate Stanley (Guitar)	Broadneck High School (Arnold, MD)
2020	Ronan Zwa (Saxophone)	The Bullis School (Potomac, MD)
2021	Jonathan Orellana-Sanchez (Trumpet)	Westfield High School (Chantilly, VA)
2022	Aiden Interrante (Trumpet)	Mt. Hebron High School (Ellicott City, MD)
2023	Elijah Lester (Piano)	Yorktown High School (Arlington, VA)
2024	Brady Markin	Chantilly High School (Chantilly, VA)
2025	Kian Linam	South Lakes High School (Reston, VA)