Akshat Jain (he/him) is a Chicago-based musician, educator, band leader, and arts administrator from Vadodara, India. He has lived in Zambia, the USA, Thailand, and Canada. After attending the International School of Bangkok, Akshat moved to Northern Michigan and graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy in 2011. Akshat went on to earn a Bachelor's degree in Music Performance from Ball State University (2015) and a Master's degree in Music from DePaul University (2018). Akshat attended the Aspen Music Festival and School in the summers of 2018 and 2019, and was an associate of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago from 2017-2020. He has performed with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Milwaukee Symphony, Grant Park Symphony, Chicago Philharmonic, and more.
Akshat works in Chicago and travels nationwide. Starting with his projects, Akshat co-founded the Butter Chicken Brass Band, a South Asian Baraat band that fuses Bollywood and traditional folk songs from the subcontinent with New Orleans and contemporary-style brass band energy. Butter Chicken was awarded a 2022 DCASE grant from the City of Chicago and a 2025 NOITP grant from the parks district to present sensory-friendly concerts throughout Chicago. In addition, Butter Chicken has performed and presented workshops at Eastman School of Music, Quinnipiac University, DePaul University, and many high schools in the Chicagoland area. butterchickenband.com
Akshat also serves as an executive board member and sousaphone player for Mucca Pazza, a 30-odd-member band based in Chicago since 2004. Mucca Pazza performs locally and nationally, has appeared at the WOW Festival in San Diego and the Festival Internationale in Lafayette, LA, and has been featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk. In addition to his performance obligations, Akshat serves as a rotating music director, production, operations manager, and tour guide. Other responsibilities as needed. Check out muccapazza.com!
He is also a co-founder of Tuba Force, a local Chicago tuba/euphonium ensemble that enjoys performing at community events, block parties, and private events. Read more about these groups under the “Projects” drop-down menu. tubaforce.com
He maintains a private studio in Chicago and offers online lessons. Akshat currently teaches private lessons at Downers Grove North HS and Lockport Township HS. His students have gone on to attend the Interlochen Arts Academy, Ball State, Temple University, the University of Illinois, DePaul University, and Northwestern University. Akshat has taught at the Interlochen Low Brass Intensive since 2019 and has led masterclasses at DePaul and Ball State Universities. Over the past 5 years, Akshat’s students have collectively amassed over $1 million in scholarships and merit-based financial assistance.
From 2019 to 2024, he served as Tuba Faculty and Off-Site Band Director at the Merit School of Music. This role included teaching at various sites throughout Chicago as a Tuba/Euphonium private instructor, sectional coach, classroom teacher, pep band and concert band director.
Since 2025, Akshat has been the Stage Manager for the annual Sphinx Competition, hosted in Detroit, MI.
His primary teachers have been Matthew Lyon, Floyd Cooley, Warren Deck, and Andy Smith. He also credits the following players with having a strong influence and has had the privilege of studying with Gene Pokorny, Tony Kniffen, Dave Saltzman, and Dennis Nulty.
