Since 2006, Jazz at Lincoln Center has proudly offered free jazz education to 60 middle school age student musicians in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx through its groundbreaking program Middle School Jazz Academy. To celebrate the 10th anniversary and the young talent of New York City, the organization will feature the Middle School Jazz Academy bands at free concerts throughout the city on April 23 and April 30. At these public concerts, the Middle School Jazz Academy bands will perform music by jazz masters Miles Davis, Melba Liston, Tito Puente, Mary Lou Williams, Charles Mingus, Billy Strayhorn, and Cedar Walton. The concerts are free and open to the public to attend.
On April 23, 2016, an Middle School Jazz Academy concert will held at each Middle School Jazz Academy site: Lehman College at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard in the Bronx at 10 am, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Irene Diamond Education Center in at Broadway at 60th Street at 1 pm, and Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School at 357 Clermont Ave in Brooklyn at 3pm.
On April 30, 2016 at 2pm, Jazz at Lincoln Center will culminate the 2015-16 education programs with a special concert featuring Middle School Jazz Academy and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Orchestra, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s high school program. This concert will take place at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s The Appel Room, located at Broadway at 60th Street.
Middle School Jazz Academy invites student participants to weekly classes held at school locations in Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Bronx. Faculty and guest musicians meet with the Middle School Jazz Academy groups every Saturday from October, 2015 through May, 2016 with private lessons during the week. Classes include Listening and Learning with the Jazz Masters, Jazz Language, and Jazz Ensemble. Students learn how to play jazz while emphasizing the importance of teamwork, creativity and self-expression, from Jazz at Lincoln Center faculty, members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and visiting jazz masters. Middle School Jazz Academy students also attend Jazz at Lincoln Center performances and educational events. Each Middle School Jazz Academy semester culminates in a public performance.
Middle School Jazz Academy is led by Head of Instruction and pianist Eli Yamin. Additional faculty includes saxophonist Claire Daly, drummers Lafrae Sci and Alvin Atkinson, guitarist Tom Dempsey, bassist Mary Ann McSweeney, trombonist and arranger Deborah Weisz, percussionist Annette Aguilar, among others. Special workshops are given by members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and NEA JazzMasters.
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Orchestra consists of 20 exceedingly talented and dedicated high school students in the tri-state area (NY, NJ, and CT). Members have the opportunity to enhance their musical education with the finest professional training and performance opportunities.
Jazz at Lincoln Center proudly offers sixty need-based private lesson scholarships to participants who meet the program admission requirements. These full scholarships provide group classes and weekly private lessons taught by Jazz at Lincoln Center faculty throughout the school year, free of charge. The deadline to apply for 2016-2017 school year is March 28, 2016. Click here for eligibility and admission requirements and more information.
Jazz at Lincoln Center proudly acknowledges its major corporate partners:
Amtrak, Bloomberg, Brooks Brothers, The Coca-Cola Company, Con Edison, Entergy, HSBC Premier, The Shops at Columbus Circle at Time Warner Center, and SiriusXM.
Please visit jazz.org for more information.