Jake Jernigan is a professional musician, composer and educator based out of Eugene, Oregon. With over two decades of music performance and audio production, Jake aspires to be a core member of his local musical community. Holding a Master’s Degree in Jazz Studies Guitar Performance from the University of Oregon, and Bachelor’s Degrees in Jazz Studies and Music Composition & Technology from Sonoma State University, Jake blends high-level instrumental performance with deep audio engineering expertise. With over a decade of private studio, group and classroom teaching experience, he is dedicated to mentoring musicians at every stage of their growth. In his own words, "Music is woven into the fabric of my purpose: to honor the knowledge imparted by my musical forebears and inspire the next generation of musical free-thinkers."

Jake was born and raised in the San Francisco East Bay where he began playing guitar at age 8. Taking private lessons all through middle school and high school, Jake had the opportunity to study under Jimmy Zeigler, one of the Bay's finest guitar instructors. Jake attended Sonoma State University where he studied under the great Randy Vincent, and discovered his passion for Jazz. After graduating in 2019, Jake got engaged and married his wife Emily. Shortly thereafter, Jake and Emily relocated to Eugene Oregon in 2021 to pursue higher education in the Pacific Northwest. Jake graduated from the University of Oregon Master's program in 2026, and welcomed his beautiful daughter Daphne into the world in February of 2026. 

He now engages with his local musical community through his private music studio, performing in many ensembles, working alongside University of Oregon faculty on various projects, and as a performing member of Orchestra Next.