Dr. Karim Yengsep, a Qazaq-American bassist and music educator, brings a lifetime of rich musical and cultural experiences to his teaching. With extensive training in traditional, jazz, and Suzuki pedagogy, Karim is dedicated to nurturing the love of music in children, blending classical and jazz traditions with his unique life experiences.

Karim moved to the United States in 2000 as an international student. He first earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Computer Science degree from Western Oregon University (2005) and went on to complete a Master of Music (2009) and a Doctor of Musical Arts (2012) degrees at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His education was supported by highly competitive tuition waiver scholarships. Karim's primary bass teachers include Dan Schulte in Oregon and Michael Cameron and Larry Gray in Illinois.

Following the completion of his doctoral studies, Karim returned to Kazakhstan, where he rapidly advanced in academia, holding roles as Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, and eventually Docent of Music. All in all, throughout his academic career, Karim has worked every step of the educational process from teaching music elementary through graduate school levels, to running the back office of an established Suzuki violin school in Chicago or the student affairs department at one of the top universities in Central Asia.

In 2015, Karim immigrated to the United States. After initially settling in Chicago, he moved to Southern California in 2018 to pursue his lifelong goal: creating an inclusive music education program. He founded SoCal Jazz Academy in 2019, a community-focused initiative addressing the needs of youth and adult learners often underserved in traditional music education. In 2024, SoCal Jazz Academy acquired Music Around, expanding its offerings to include programs for the youngest students.

Dr. Yengsep sees his mission as more than teaching music—he strives to inspire and empower children by weaving together the threads of classical and jazz traditions with the transformative power of his own journey. His commitment to fostering creativity, discipline, and a love for music in his students underscores his enduring vision for music education.