World-renowned trumpeter, bandleader and composer Wynton Marsalis is a leading advocate of American culture. At the age of 17, Marsalis left New Orleans to attend the Juilliard School in New York City. He quickly found himself in an ideal place to learn what was required to be a jazz musician and bandleader, when he hit the road with Art Blakey and the Jazz Masters. Wynton assembled his first band in 1981 and promptly began touring, performing over 120 concerts annually for 15 consecutive years. With the power of his musicianship, the compelling sound of his swinging bands and a far-reaching series of performances and music workshops, Marsalis rekindled interest and excitement in jazz worldwide and attracted a new generation of fine young talent to the genre. As the Co-founder, Managing and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, as well as the Director of Juilliard Jazz, Marsalis has elevated jazz music to the forefront of America’s leading arts and educational institutions. Wynton has recorded over 100 jazz and classical recordings, which have garnered nine GRAMMY Awards® and sold over 7 million copies worldwide. In 1997, Marsalis became the first jazz artist to be awarded the prestigious Pulitzer Prize in Music for his oratorio Blood on the Fields. Marsalis' vision for a brighter American future resonates deeply with companies and organizations across a multitude of fields. With Wynton, audiences are treated to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take a front row seat as he speaks about a lifetime of innovation, soul, and music.