Jâca

Jâca is a clarinet and guitar duo that combines classical and world music to bring an  adventurous, passionate, and completely original musical style to the stage. Jâca’s music reflects the versatility of their instruments, combining western classical training with their diverse musical and cultural heritage. 

From Flamenco to Fado, Appalachia to Argentina, and guitar slides to clarinet smears, Jâca’s music is truly a unique fusion that fits into no single genre. The duo breathes new life into the traditional concert experience, ignoring convention and consistently leaving their audiences buzzing. “At a Jâca concert you’re not just a bystander – you feel a part of it.” (Humans of Chamber Music)

Based in Fort Collins CO, Canadian clarinetist Wesley Ferreira is an acclaimed soloist and  orchestral musician. He always brings his infectious positivity, big smile, and way too many  reeds to every rehearsal. His Portuguese heritage and interest in Fado music has sparked  Portuguese-inspired arrangements and commissions of new music for the duo. In addition to being an award-winning classical guitarist, Los Angeles-based Jaxon Williams is an active performer of Spanish Flamenco guitar, which he learned on a Fulbright in Spain, where he continues to live for part of the year. He also knows more about fingernail care than a certified beautician and can slap on a fake nail in 5 minutes or less. 

Having achieved the highest degrees in the music field, Dr. Ferreira and Dr. Williams are also well-known in their sectors as sought-after educators and presenters (just don’t expect their help when a doctor’s needed on a plane). In addition to their outreach programs in communities where they perform as a duo, Ferreira is an Associate Professor of Clarinet at Colorado State University’s School of Music, Theatre, and Dance and Williams is director of an educational nonprofit that implements guitar programs in underfunded schools. Jâca is passionate about adding meaning to their music, founding the Jâca Cultural Exchange Program (JCEP) in 2019 to support underserved musical communities worldwide. They also host the prestigious Emerging Composers Competition to create new music for clarinet and guitar. In an effort to promote positivity around multiculturalism in America, they launched Imaginary Boundaries in 2020. The project involves ongoing commissions of compositions from accomplished composers of various cultural backgrounds. 

Jâca has delighted audiences in historic venues, concert halls, and at arts series and music  festivals worldwide, including in North America, South America, and Europe. Press outlets have described the duo as being “at the forefront of an exciting new wave of classical chamber music groups” (Sneak Preview, OR) and praise Jâca for “pushing classical music forward” (Culturs: Global Multicultural Magazine). What matters more to the duo, however, is the connection they spark with individual audience members. Reactions such as these are not uncommon: “So many different influences and traditions and all of it so full of musical life! An exciting concert!” (April Martin, New York NY). ”My husband and I can’t thank you enough for such a wonderful evening. It was just remarkable!” (Vidette Molina, Tucson AZ). 

Dividing their time between the United States, Canada, Spain, and Portugal, this 21st-century duo represents the limitless potential of an interconnected world.