Teacher Profile: Jaik Hakkarinen

About Jaik Hakkarinen

Jaik Hakkarinen is a musician and music educator based out of Denver, CO. Having played the drums since the age of 5, Jaik has always been drawn to music of all styles and origins, but finds his voice primarily in jazz, funk, rock, and latin music.

As an educator, Jaik has taught professionally since early 2020, specializing in private and small-group lessons in the realm of drum set, concert percussion, piano, guitar, world music, and general elementary music. Since moving to Denver, Jaik has worked with the Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts as a 'Near-Peer Mentor', and taught as a clinician for a week in the jazz program at California State University, Chico.

Jaik has performed and/or recorded nationally and internationally with the likes of Rocky Winslow, Greg Gisbert, Paul Romaine, Shingo Maeyama, and the North State Symphony, and performs regularly with a number of local acts of all genres.

Jaik has a BA in Music from California State University, Chico, under the mentorship of the great Rocky Winslow and Michelle McConkey, and is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Jazz Studies and Pedagogy at CU Boulder, under the mentorship of the great Paul Romaine.