Our Founder & Director, Tracy Morris
Tracy Morris is a professional saxophonist, award-winning music educator, and the founder and driving force behind Morris Music Academy. His career spans the concert stage, the classroom, and the community — reflecting a lifelong commitment to musical excellence and inclusive arts education in Northeast Florida.
Musical Excellence and Artistic Journey
Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Tracy’s passion for music took root early. He distinguished himself as a standout musician throughout middle and high school before earning his place in the prestigious jazz program at the University of North Florida — one of the most respected jazz studies programs in the Southeast.
At UNF, Tracy studied under two legendary figures in American jazz: saxophonist and educator Bunky Green and euphonium virtuoso and educator Rich Matteson. He performed as a featured member of UNF’s top jazz ensemble and served as the featured baritone saxophone soloist on the university’s critically acclaimed inaugural album, Have You Heard? — a recording that remains a landmark in UNF’s musical history.
Tracy’s performing career has taken him to concert venues across the region and beyond. Most recently, he led Morris Music Academy’s student and faculty ensemble onto the stage of Carnegie Hall in New York City in December 2025 — the second time he has brought his academy to the world’s most celebrated concert venue, having done so first in 2017.
Recognized for Excellence
In February 2024, Tracy was honored with the Jacksonville Image Award for Musical Excellence — one of the most prestigious recognitions in the Northeast Florida arts community. The award acknowledged not only his artistry as a performer but his decades of impact as an educator and community advocate.
A Legacy of Education
Tracy’s commitment to music education extends well beyond the walls of Morris Music Academy. He has taught at Florida State College at Jacksonville and spent a decade as an educator with Duval County Public Schools, where he taught in the gifted program at Jacksonville Beach Elementary School. His dedication to nurturing the next generation of musicians has left a lasting mark on the local arts and education community.
Advocate for Inclusive Arts and Music Education
Tracy serves as the Director of Outreach for Beaches Fine Arts Series in Jacksonville Beach — a role that places world-class performing arts within reach of students and families who might not otherwise have access. Through free, interactive outreach events, Tracy and the Beaches Fine Arts Series team reach thousands of underserved students across Northeast Florida each year. It is advocacy work that reflects the same values at the heart of Morris Music Academy: that great music education should be available to everyone.
Join Morris Music Academy
Morris Music Academy is Tracy Morris’ greatest ongoing work — a studio where his experience as a performer, his training as an educator, and his passion for the community come together every day. Whether you are picking up an instrument for the first time or preparing for a professional audition, you are in exceptional hands.
Click Here to Begin Your Musical Journey Today!
DREAM BIG! PLAY MUSIC!
