Glenn Kostur

Professor Glenn Kostur has been the Director of Jazz Studies at the University of New Mexico since 1995. His duties have included conducting the UNM Jazz Bands, teaching Improvisation, Composition & Arranging, and coaching Jazz Combos. As a jazz educator, Glenn has been a clinician and guest performer at schools throughout the United States, and has conducted high school All-State jazz groups in Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, South Dakota and Texas. Recently Glenn conducted the All-Northwest Jazz Band, a high school honor group of students from six northwest states (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA and WY).

Since 2010 Glenn has been serving as the Musical Director for the Albuquerque Jazz Orchestra, having joined the group in 1995.

For three years Glenn was saxophonist, composer/arranger, and musical director for jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson with whom he appeared on three recordings: “Big Bop Nouveau”, “Footpath Cafe”, and “Live From London”.

Glenn released his first CD as a leader in 2005, a trio recording called “Trifling.” In 1998 he was one of the founding members the contemporary saxophone quartet, Thrascher, performing at the World Saxophone Congresses in Montreal, Canada and St. Andrews, Scotland. Their CD releases “Another Sound Thrasching”, and “Axes of Evil” are available at thrascher.com. Other recording credits include the Steve Wiest Jazz Orchestra, the HR Big Band, the Frank Mantooth Jazz Orchestra, the Dallas Jazz Orchestra, Chicago’s Jazz Members Big Band, and the Texas All-Star Jazz Band.

Glenn’s compositions and arrangements have been published by Warner Brothers, Doug Beach and UNC Jazz Press. A student of James Riggs and Debra Richtmeyer, Mr. Kostur is a graduate of the University of North Texas (B.M. Jazz Studies-Performance) and DePaul University (M.M. Jazz Studies-Composition). Glenn is a Yamaha Performing Artist and a D’Addario reeds artist.