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Jazz In Schools

We at the "We Always Swing" Jazz Series are proud of the latest arm of The James Williams Jazz Series Education Program – "Jazz in the Schools." The Jazz Series hopes will grow into a city-wide effort that will serve as a "feeder" of jazz education and jazz-related activities in the public schools.

Also check out our Artist in Residence Program this year with Rufus Reid.

The Jazz Series will place musicians in schools to work with aspiring young musicians as well as have those same younger musicians gain experience by having them perform in front of still younger student audiences. The program is being designed to involve students from K-12.

Program Overview:

  • The program creates a three-way collaboration between the extensive Partners in Education network and its many participants, the respective school(s) they support and the Jazz Series.
  • The expanded program includes a sizeable infusion of jazz-related activities into the curriculum on a school-by-school basis, grades K-12.
  • The program also involves MU's School of Music Jazz Studies Program under the direction of Dr. Arthur White.

Who Benefits:

  • First and foremost the youngest students are exposed to jazz and older students may receive their first taste of public performance and gain experience and confidence in that manner.
  • The respective Partner-in-Education is not simply contributing directly to educational activities at their adopted school, but they will also receive publicity and gain exposure through the Jazz Series' print mechanisms and web site. They will also benefit from their adopted and the respective schools' marketing and promotional ability.
  • The Jazz Series, already active in and committed to the jazz-education field (including scholarships to aspiring student musicians), administers the program for you, thus eliminating the stress of the educator in additional prep time and curriculum writing.