Jason Levi is a UNT College of Music alumnus with a BM (2004) and MM (2007) in Jazz Trumpet. He played in the One O'Clock lab band from 2004-2007 including many tours such as playing for the King of Thailand in 2004. While pursuing his Masters degree in music he also pursued an MBA in the College of Business. This led to him submitting the proposal and eventually teaching the first Music Industry Entrepreneurship class at UNT. He moved to Las Vegas in 2010 to perform in Cirque du Soleil and has enjoyed a busy freelancing career there playing for acts such as Lady Gaga, John Fogerty and Aerosmith among many others. Jason is President and CEO of Rise8 Studios LLC, which designs and manufactures musical themed gifts sold online and on Amazon around the globe.  

The quality Jason admires most about the UNT College of Music is that it's "elite, not elitist" meaning that everyone is given the opportunity to work their way to the top. He's proud to support Entrepreneurship at the UNT College of Music by sponsoring the "Rise8 Studios Prize" which is given yearly to a COM student with entrepreneurial ambition.  

Jason resides in Las Vegas with his wife (a violinist) and young daughter.