Monterey Jazz
Education
Monterey Jazz
Education
Monterey Jazz offers five performing ensembles on the local and national level. The Next Generation Jazz Orchestra and Next Generation Women in Jazz Combo feature the best high school jazz musicians from around the country.
The Monterey Jazz Regional All-Star Band, and the Monterey Jazz Regional All-Star Vocal Ensemble are comprised of local students in the Jazz in the Schools program and are selected on their performance skills.
At the core of Monterey Jazz education initiatives lies our fun and truly transformational jazz programs, designed to uplift jazz musicians of all ages and experience levels. See below for details.
Each year, Monterey Jazz brings together some of the most accomplished high school jazz musicians from across the country to form the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra (NGJO) directed by GRAMMY-nominated pianist and composer, Gerald Clayton, and the Next Generation Women in Jazz Combo, directed by award-winning bassist, Katie Thiroux.
Since 2019, Monterey Jazz Festival has partnered with Texas Southern University (TSU) in Houston, Texas, one of the largest and most comprehensive historically black colleges and universities in the nation to broaden the reach of the Monterey Jazz’s education programs to many more young people, while leveraging TSU’s commitment and legacy of jazz excellence. In addition, selected HBCU jazz ensembles from compete in our HBCU Jazz Combo Challenge. The winning combo will be selected by a panel of jazz adjudicators and will be invited to perform at the annual Monterey Jazz Festival.
Saxophonist and composer Joshua Redman is one of the most acclaimed and respected jazz artists of his generation. Redman’s involvement at Monterey stretches back to the 1980s when he was a student at Berkeley High at our Next Generation Jazz Festival. Also a 1986 Next Generation Jazz Orchestra member, Joshua became our first alumnus to become MJF’s Artist-in-Residence in 1996, and again in 2011. His groups have graced MJF stages many times.
Members of our jazz ensembles benefit from first-class jazz instruction while they play and learn together. Performances are hosted and promoted by Monterey Jazz and some are invited to play at our legendary festival.
Middle and high school instrumentalists and vocalists of all skill levels are welcome to join this intensive and immersive jazz camp. Students will study and perform with our nationally and internationally acclaimed faculty members.
Jazz Uplifts! provides students in grades 3-6 with opportunities to explore music learning through educational jazz concerts and workshops. 2024 featured drummer and educator Marcie Chapa & Friends in a series of free concerts and in-school workshops across Monterey County in October.
Trading Fours is a fun jazz ensemble class for intermediate to advanced level adult musicians. Led by jazz pianist Bill Spencer, Trading Fours will meet on selected Wednesdays from 7-9pm from April through October and will have a live performance as its final project.
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