Markus Howell is currently a member of the Legendary Count Basie Orchestra (alto saxophone & flute), a part-time teacher in the Jazz department at the Calhoun School in New York City, te lead alto saxophonist in Jason Marshall's Big Band, and a freelance musician in New York City.

What educational experiences have been most valuable to you as a professional?

The educational experiences that have been most valuable to me as a professional have been the priceless networking opportunities to collaborate with several MSUFCU guest artists along with Distinguished Professor Rodney Whitaker's vision for the jazz program. As a result of those tours I was able to build up road chops and utilize that time to ask questions while developing a relationship with artists such as Steve Wilson, Steve Davis, Tim Warfield, Mimi Jones, and Christian McBride. Those connections helped make my transition to New York City smoother.    

What opportunities would you recommend students take advantage of during their time at MSU?

I recommend students take advantage of the independent study courses offered within the College of Music. During my time at MSU I was able to study with grad assistants and professors on topics such as classical flute, classical clarinet, jazz arranging and composition, post Hard Bop saxophonist, the Duke Ellington songbook, Miles Davis' record E.S.P. and a host of other topics. Having an opportunity to collaborate and learn from others outside my primary focused degree ultimately helped influence my musicianship.

What skills have proved to be most beneficial in your current position?

In my current position, the skills that have proved to be most beneficial are preparation for the gig, sight reading, professionalism, social media visibility, and developing relationships with musicians and club owners.  

Altin Sencalar is currently Director of Jazz Ensembles & Instructor of Trombone at the University of Mary Hardin Baylor and the Round Rock ISD Trombone Instructor.

What experiences did you have at MSU that prepared you to be successful today?

The culture of Michigan State University helped shape my mentality of how to attain my goals and ambitions. I was lucky to be surrounded by many fantastic young educators, performers, and amazing human beings. The constant need to rise above expectations and achieve those big goals was fueled by all of the students at the College of Music. The faculty at MSU also played a vital role in creating that culture of constant success and progress.

Being a part of the Jazz Studies program was one of the biggest honors I’ve had as a student. The program is a close family of students that all want each other to succeed. It stems from Prof. Whitaker’s Detroit influenced mantra, “Each one, teach one” which is mentorship at every level. This attitude of keeping up with one another and always lifting each other up is now what I try to do with my university students and my high school studio. I believe this attitude is what leads students to loving music and themselves during the process.

How was Running Start Influential in your professional development?

One experience that had a huge impact on me was winning the top prize with my colleague Chris Glassman for the 2019 Running Start Competition. Through that, we were able to continue and enhance our group, the Sencalar/Glassman Quintet. We set up a tour for educational residences in East Lansing elementary schools and we eventually were able to record and release our album, “Realization.”  The record achieved critical acclaim, being given 4/5 stars in Stereophile Magazine and compared the record to the late JJ Johnson & Kai Winding as “prodigy grandchildren of the late Jay and Kai”. It was also published in the International Trombone Association’s journal, “In addition to both trombonists virtuosity, they perform with convincing melodic and harmonic mastery, meriting their solo work several listens.” Through Running Start we also learned how to set up tours, make promotional materials, and use social media to expand our viewing audience. This led the group to planning three tours across the nation to Texas, Ohio, Michigan, the American Trombone Workshop in Washington DC, and the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival in Baltimore.

What have you done to maintain your mental health and practice self-care throughout the course of this year’s pandemic?

During the pandemic, I had a couple of phases, but by far the one that really grounded me was spending time with my wife and our dog, Navy. Those who remember me in school know I love my wife and our dog. Being home together as educators was tough at first but we found our stride when we started ending our days instead of letting work take over our home life. Living in Texas, there is tons of land to walk, and we live in Austin, where there are lots of outdoor things to do. The other phase of quarantine that I found great was cooking stuff that I never thought I could cook. I finally learned how to use a cast iron pan and now actually prefer it to every other pan. I had tons of fun learning to cook with an iron pan as opposed to my usual pans.

What other tips do you have for current students?

It’s okay to be uncomfortable during growth. As a performer and educator, you have to be willing to adapt to new ways of doing things. A quote that I always reference is “critique is a chance for refinement.” This quote was told to me by John Wittman, the Director of Artists Relations at Yamaha Music USA. Being accepting of critique in music school is important. Now that I’m a professor, I think about why I went to music school. I didn’t attend music school to be told I sound good all the time; I went to get mentored by present day educators who have been successful and to grow through my time as a student.

Another piece of advice I have for students is to take independent studies or monthly lessons with different professors if you can. I learned so much from my major professor Michael Dease who was incredible to work with. However, I also learned so much from my other professors like Prof Whitaker, Rivera, Napoleon, Davis, and others. It’s important to get different perspectives because one day you will teach different students and it’s important to diversify yourself now while you can instead of later when you virtually have no time.

Lastly, it’s important to have your paperwork together. Start editing your resume now and having an adaptable cover letter. It’s much easier to have a folder of pre composed things rather than starting over new every job application. Have your professors, friends, and people from different careers look at your resume. Every set of eyes is a new way to look at things.