Jay Gummert, born in 1990 in rural Iowa, USA, received his bachelor's degree in clarinet from the University of Northern Iowa and two master's degrees in clarinet and music theory from Michigan State University where he studied with world-renowned clarinetist, pedagogue and chamber musician Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr of the infamous Verdehr Trio.

Jay is an accomplished woodwind specialist, having professionally played in pit orchestras, chamber ensembles, and as a soloist since the age of 13. Before moving to Hamburg in 2020, he was active in the musical theater scene in Chicago, having played in several Joseph Jefferson Award-nominated and winning productions, such as "Sweeney Todd" (Theo Ubique, Winner - Best Musical Direction), "Hello Again" (Theo Ubique, Nominated - Best Musical Direction), and "The Wiz" (Kokandy Productions, Nominated - Best Musical Direction). Passionate about the intersection between music and social justice, Jay seeks to build up communities that not only value arts and culture, but see these expressions as integral parts of society. In doing so, he hopes to bring classical art down from the ivory tower by making it accessible to everyone.