Spotlight | Acting Principal Tuba

Jarrett McCourt

Named one of Canada’s “Top 30 Hottest Classical Musicians” in 2018, Canadian tubist Jarrett McCourt has been praised for his “magnificent” playing by the Palm Beach Daily News and his “warm, romantic, and seamless” sound by South Florida Classical Review.

McCourt joins the Kansas City Symphony as Acting Principal Tuba for the 2026/2027 season. He also serves as Assistant Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at the UMKC Conservatory and Principal Tuba of the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra. Previously, he held
positions as Principal Tuba of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and as a member of the New World Symphony and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.

As an orchestral musician, McCourt has performed with many of North America’s leading ensembles, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony
Orchestra, Utah Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada, and the Canadian Brass. He has also appeared as Guest Principal Tubist with the Berlin Philharmonic, joining the orchestra in Berlin and on its North American tour performing Mahler’s Seventh Symphony under Kirill Petrenko.

An active soloist and advocate for new music, McCourt became the first tubist in the 80-year history of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal’s Standard Life Competition to win the brass category in 2014. He was also a finalist in the XVI International Tchaikovsky
Competition in St. Petersburg, Russia, during the competition’s inaugural year for brass. He has commissioned works by composers including Nicole Lizée, Kevin Day, Gala Flagello, and Vincent Ho, and has released three solo albums: Golden Hour (2022), Voyager (2024), and Onyx (2026). His international appearances have included concerto performances, recitals, and masterclasses throughout North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Beyond performing, McCourt’s work explores the intersection of music, teaching, and wellness. He is a certified yoga instructor and frequently speaks on mental health and wellness for musicians. He holds degrees from Western University and the University of Michigan and was inducted into Western University’s Alumni Wall of Fame in 2026.