Jazz Combo Camp Instructors

Chris Merz (saxophone), Camp Director

A highly sought-after clinician, Chris Merz has adjudicated at festivals in Iowa, Minnesota, Idaho, Colorado, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Virginia, and is the Director of Jazz Studies at UNI. As a writer, he has completed commissions for UMass Amherst, Amherst College, The Des Moines Big Band, Augustanna College, Waukee and Riverton (WY) high schools, among others. Current performance projects include Christopher's Very Happy. Band., The Iowa Jazz Composers' Orchestra, Alpha State Agents, and Erick Thompson's Fun Time Music Hour. Merz founded the UNI Combo Camp in his first year at UNI, 2001.

Scott Hagarty (trumpet)

Scott Hagarty is Assistant Professor of Trumpet at the University of Northern Iowa. Prior to accepting the position at UNI in 2025, Dr. Hagarty was Associate Professor of Trumpet at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, Tennessee and at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas. He has also taught courses at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, University of Minnesota, and Yale University.

An active performer, Dr. Hagarty is currently Principal Trumpet of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra, and previously held the positions of Principal Trumpet of the Bryan Symphony Orchestra (in residence at Tennessee Tech University), 2nd Trumpet of the Victoria Symphony Orchestra (TX), 3rd Trumpet of the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra, and Solo Principal Cornet of the Southern Stars Symphonic Brass Band, based in Crossville, TN. In addition to those regular positions, he has performed with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Tennessee Philharmonic, Oak Ridge Symphony, Mid-Texas Symphony, Orchestra Iowa, and the Rochester Symphony (MN) among others across the United States. As a jazz musician, he has performed in orchestra pits across the United States including at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre (MN), Harbor Playhouse (TX), and Theatre Cedar Rapids, as well as at the Texas Jazz Festival and with big bands across the US. Prior to teaching at UNI, Dr. Hagarty was the director of the MWF Jazz Band at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Anthony Williams (trombone)

Anthony Williams enjoys a high frequency of performing in classical, jazz, and new music settings. He is principal trombonist of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony and performs regularly with other orchestras in the region. As a soloist and chamber musician, Williams performs often locally and nationally at festivals and universities. International performances include appearances in Germany, Austria, Italy, Cuba, Czech Republic, and Hungary.

His current jazz and commercial music performance activities include regular appearances with local and regional groups such as The Iowa Jazz Composers Orchestra, Max Wellman Big Band, Orquesta Alto Maiz, Chris Merz’s Shorter Stories, NOLA Jazz Band, and many others. Williams’ past experiences include engagements with the Memphis Symphony, Memphis Jazz Orchestra, Ray Charles Orchestra, Arkansas Symphony, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, The Temptations, Natalie Cole, Four Tops, and Aretha Franklin. His pit orchestra experience includes performances with the national tours of Some Like it Hot, MJ the Musical, Funny Girl, and TINA.

His debut solo album, “Synthesis,” is a collection of five newly commissioned works for solo trombone composed and performed by UNI faculty and student musicians from the past and present. The album contains pieces scored for various ensemble settings featuring influences from classical, Latin, and jazz styles. Williams has continued his passion for commissioning new music by having two new pieces, Para Anthony, by Jorge Sosa (2024) and Lesley, by Henry Dorn (2025), written for the Skins, Bones, and Ivories Too trio that is made up of Williams on trombone, Sean Botkin on piano, and Matt Andreini on percussion.

Recent recordings projects include recordings as trombonist with the Iowa Jazz Composers Orchestra (Maya Roots 2025 and Fertile Soil Suite 2021), Tanarat Chaichana Jazz Orchestra (Portraits of Thailand 2022), Endeavor Jazz Orchestra (Solipsis: Music of Ryan Brake 2021), Chris Merz’s Shorter Stories (New JuJu 2023) and David People’s Electrophonic Orchestra (Itty-Bitty Bluesopera 2020) Additional recording credits include, Origin Suite and Time Within Itself with the Mike Waldrop Big Band “Grosso for Trombone and Electronics” for Mexican-born composer Jorge Sosa’s album, Plastic Time, and albums by UNI alums Ryan Middagh and Dave Lisik.

Dr. Williams is Associate Professor of Trombone at the University of Northern Iowa where he teaches applied trombone, trombone pedagogy and literature, low brass techniques, and directs the UNI Trombone Ensemble and Trombone Quartet. He also serves as a member of UNI’s jazz faculty by teaching applied jazz trombone and directing the UNI Jazz Trombone Ensemble.

Dr. Williams earned degrees from the University of Central Arkansas (BM), University of Northern Iowa (MM), and the University of Memphis (DMA).

Learn more about Anthony at his website: anthonywilliamstrombone.com

Luke Sanders (guitar)

Luke Sanders is instructor of guitar at the University of Northern Iowa. Prior to UNI, Luke taught guitar and various courses and ensembles within the jazz curriculum at Luther College in Decorah, IA and Wartburg College in Waverly, IA. Luke earned his undergraduate degree in Instrumental Music Education at Coe College in 2017. Luke later would go on to lead the jazz program and direct the 9th grade band at Waterloo West High School. Following his time at Waterloo West, Luke earned his Master of Music in Jazz Pedagogy at UNI under the tutelage of Bob Dunn, Chris Merz, and Dr. Mike Conrad.

An active performer, clinician, and composer/arranger, Luke has been a staple in the Eastern Iowa Music scene for the past decade. Luke has performed with the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra and the Cedar Rapids-based Orchestra Iowa. Luke has also been a featured guest artist with multiple professional concert bands around Iowa presenting the stateside premieres of Mario Parizek’s guitar concerto, Fingerpick meets Blasmusik.

While at UNI Luke’s student quintet, “Bad News,” earned a grant to record an album of all original music titled We Get That a Lot. Luke’s jazz performance experience has taken him around the Midwest in numerous acts as a bandleader and sideman. Luke has been on faculty for the KCCK Middle School Jazz Camp held at Kirkwood Community College since 2016. In addition to the KCCK camp, Luke has also served on staff at the Cedar Falls Summer Jazz camp and UNI’s own Amp Camp.

When Luke is not surrounded by guitars and gear he loves to spend time at his home in Waterloo with his fiancé, Casey, and their chihuahua, Kiki.

Mike Conrad (piano)

Mike Conrad is a composer, improviser, and teacher from Iowa. He graduated with a Master’s degree in Jazz Composition and Arranging from the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with Bill Dobbins and played lead trombone in the Eastman Jazz Ensemble. As a pianist, Conrad has performed with groups from across the country, including the Alexa Tarantino Quintet, and Christopher’s Very Happy. Band. In addition to touring China in the summer of 2016, he has appeared at the Rochester International Jazz Festival, the UNC/Greeley Jazz Festival, the Iowa City Jazz Festival, the Twin Cites Jazz Festival, and the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy.

From 2013 to 2015, Conrad was the Head Band Director at West High School in Waterloo, IA where he directed the Wind Symphony and Jazz Ensembles and taught Music Theory and Jazz Improvisation. He also led his own large jazz ensemble called COLOSSUS and is currently leading and writing for a unique 15-piece group called the All Angles Orchestra. Mike Conrad enjoys directing jazz ensembles at the University of Northern Colorado, teaching jazz piano and jazz composition lessons, and working with high school jazz bands from around the country in clinics and at festivals. He has been on the jazz faculty at the University of Iowa's Jazz Camp, the University of Northern Iowa Jazz Combo Camp, and the Rockport Jazz Camp in Massachusetts. For his work at the Eastman Community Music School, Conrad received Jack L. Frank Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Conrad has been recognized for his arranging and composing with four ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards and five Downbeat Student Music Awards, as well as awards from the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers and Ithaca College’s Jazz Composition Contest. He has been commissioned by several schools and organizations such as the West Point Army Jazz Knights, Excelsior Charter Schools, the New York Youth Symphony Jazz Band, and the University of Northern Iowa. Mike Conrad truly loves collaborating with other musicians, and always brings his creativity and expressiveness to every concert that he performs and every composition that he writes.

Will Yager (bass)

Dr. Will Yager is a versatile double bassist committed to experimental music, improvisation, jazz, and collaborating with living composers in the creation of new solo and chamber repertoire for the double bass. He is a founding member of the soprano/double bass duo LIGAMENT and improvising trio Wombat. Performance highlights include appearances at Bang on Can’s Long Play Festival, Big Ears Festival, University of Iowa Center for New Music, International Society of Bassists Convention, SPLICE Festival, High Zero Festival, Experimental Sound Studio’s Quarantine Concerts, Omaha Under the Radar, SEAMUS National Conference, and the Feed Me Weird Things concert series. Yager is also a founding member and currently serves on the board of the nonprofit organization Bass Players for Black Composers.

As members of LIGAMENT, Anika Kildegaard and Will Yager have premiered many new works and have an upcoming album of pieces written expressly for the duo. Notable performances include appearances at the Kansas City Contemporary Music Festival, Cleveland Uncommon Sound Project’s Re:Sound, New Music on the Point, and the Cortona Sessions for New Music. Recent concert seasons have included residencies at the University of Idaho and University of Iowa, a collaboration with the composition department at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, and tours of the midwest and east coast.Their upcoming 2024-25 season will include a return to the Peabody Institute, a residency with the University of Iowa Center for New Music, a winter tour with clarinetist Jean-François Charles, and a spring tour with voice/flute ensemble SydeBoob Duo.

Wombat, along with saxophonist Justin Comer and guitarist Carlos Cotallo Solares, is an improvising trio dedicated to experimental and intermedia performance. Wombat has performed at the Oh My Ears Festival, MOXsonic Experimental Electronic Music festival, the University of Iowa Center for New Music, as well as tours across the US. Wombat has several recordings available on Bandcamp, including their most recent recording Burnt Ends. Will is also an active jazz musician and has performed with Gregory Tardy, Damani Phillips, Mark Boling, Steve Grismore, and others in the Iowa and Tennessee areas. He has an upcoming piano trio album with Dr. Geoffrey Dean and Hunter Deacon slated for release in 2025.

In addition to his varied performance activity, Will is a devoted educator. He currently teaches double bass at the University of Northern Iowa, and spends his summers on faculty at the North Carolina Governor’s School West. Prior to his position at UNI, Will taught at the University of North Alabama and Maryville College.

Dr. Yager holds degrees from the University of Iowa, University of Tennessee, and Maryville College.

Josh Hakanson (drums)

Josh Hakanson is a musician and educator based in Cedar Falls, IA. On drum set, Hakanson has played professionally in the Northwest and Midwest in a range of musical styles, encompassing jazz, rock, hip-hop, and fusion. As a student and professional performer, he has made appearances with such musicians as Bobby Shew, Adam Kolker, John Wojciechowski, Luis Bonilla, Benny Green, Steve Owen, Idit Shner, Joe Manis, Bob Washut, Chris Merz, Dave Rezek, Don Jaques, and many others. As an educator, he has taught private lessons to all ages, coached large and small jazz ensembles at the collegiate level, and administered music clinics at the middle and high school level.