Shaping the future of music in Nepal through excellence, passion, and dedication
A music school that beats at the very heart of Kathmandu’s ever-growing music industry. Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory aims to train the next generation of artists, musicians, producers, sound-engineers, composers and songwriters to feed the increasing demand for music within Nepal’s flourishing music scene. There has never been a better time to be a musician in Nepal and there has never been a school quite like KJC to help you achieve your goals.
Belonging to the vibrant Gyan Mandala Community and working closely with Katjazz studios and Moksh, students will be part of an environment that will constantly push them to be creative, skilled, well informed and experienced artists.
In studying at KJC, you will be taught and supported by a passionate team of creative and practicing professionals. KJC serves a diverse and talented pool of students, and has a strong support network that has been developing for more than 12 years.
Founder and Director
A versatile musician and entrepreneur, Nirakar Yakthumba is well known as the bass player of 1974 AD, Nepal’s First International Rock Band. He co-founded KJC in 2007 and since then has been heavily involved in the country’s cultural scene.
As an artist he has toured the Americas, Europe and Asia, and won many awards such as Hits FM and Kantipur FM awards. He is part of different formations, considering himself a complete musician able to play many genres. As a entrepreneur, he is an influential figure and partner at Moksh, Pranamaya Yoga and the Gyanodaya Education Foundation.
Mariano E. Abello, saxophone, flute, clarinet and oboe, has being playing concerts, festivals, and doing master classes and workshops around the world on flamenco, jazz, classical, and Hindustani music. Due to his multicultural background, Mariano is an expert in mixing different cultures as shown in his recording with UrJazz “Thais Por Tangos.”
After graduated summa cum laude in Jazz Studies he did a Masters in Arts in Woodwind Performance and Pedagogy at Florida Atlantic University, where he also taught in the jazz program and revived its jazz festival.
In 2007 he opened the Kathmandu Jazz Conservatory, in Nepal (www.katjazz.com.np). In 2008 he funded the non-profit organization Nepal Music Educators’ Society (www.nmes.org.np) to coordinate music educators in Nepal. In 2013 he became a board member of the non-profit organization Jazz Education Abroad (www.jazzeducationabroad.org), based in the USA, and in 2017 opened its affiliation in the European Union. In 2017 became the Executive Director of Jazz Education Abroad and in the same year opened the KJC Foundation. In 2021 created, together with Dr. Gene Aitken, iJazzMusic.com, an online jazz publisher, which has some of the top arrangers of today’s scene worldwide.
Co-Founder
KJC is a unique hub for intercultural exchange where different backgrounds meet to learn from each other. Since 2007 KJC is bringing highly qualified foreign music teachers, performers and personnel who train our Nepali faculty and students. KJC is known as the most competent music school in Nepal and one of the tops in South Asia.
