Jean Moorehead Libs received her B.M.E and M.M. in Music Education and Trumpet Performance from the University of Michigan School of Music while studying with Prof. Emeritus Clifford P. Lillya; she continued at Michigan doing Post Graduate and Doctoral studies with Armando Ghitalla, Prof. Emeritus and former Principal Trumpet of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Jean’s teaching credentials include positions at Olivet College, The United World College of Southeast Asia, Northern Michigan University, Wayne State University, Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, the University of Michigan, the University of Michigan All-State program at Interlochen and Grand Valley State University. A dedicated educator, Jean's many preparatory students have held leading positions in the University of Michigan's Youth Ensembles, numerous State Honor Bands, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp International Youth Orchestras and the Interlochen All State Youth Orchestras and Bands. Dozens of her students have gone on to major in music performance and education across the country and several have received prizes at the National Trumpet Competition, as Yamaha Young Performing Artists and in the International Trumpet Guild student competition. Dozens of her former students hold university teaching positions as well as memberships in professional orchestras. Formerly the Principal Trumpet of the Singapore Symphony, Jean remains actively performing with Today's Brass Quintet, the Michigan Sinfonietta, The Ann Arbor Symphony and The Michigan Opera Theatre Orchestra.
For over two decades, Jean has served as an adjudicator and clinician at numerous district and state solo and ensemble and band and orchestra festivals for MSBOA (Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association). She is Adjunct Professor of Trumpet at Concordia University in Ann Arbor and maintains a large private studio with students ranging in age from beginner to graduate school.
During her tenure as Pedagogical Topics editor for the International Trumpet Guild Journal, Jean was the author and editor of dozens of articles with many of America's leading trumpeters. She is the chair of the ITG Young Artist Award column, a contributing editor for Balquidder Music, Elan Brass Press and a clinician for Stork Custom Mouthpieces. Jean recently completed the second edition of Clifford P. Lillya's Method, Book 2 with colleagues Rob Roy McGregor and Dennis Horton.
