The American Jazz Museum is proud to present the Kansas City Jazz Academy. This program provides excellent jazz instruction for middle and high school students interested in improving their skills beyond what they’d normally receive in a traditional public/private school music program.
Get ready for the"Kansas City Jazz Academy Fall 2024 Semester"
September 7th - December 15th
Sponsored in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Missouri Arts Council
Highlights of the program include:
- Students will get to learn from various distinguished jazz artists and educators in the Kansas City Metropolitan area
- Students will be immersed in and get to build upon their jazz theory and jazz history knowledge and skills
- This setting of instruction will help students better prepare for All-State Auditions
Auditions:
In-person auditions will be held on Saturday, September 7th, 2024 at 1 pm for instrumental students. For information about vocal auditions and interviews please email Lisa Henry at lisahenryjazz@gmail.com . Questions? Email Clarence Smith at csmith@kcjazz.org
Who: High School and Advanced Middle School Instrumentalists
When: September 7th - December 15th, 2024
Where: The American Jazz Museum 1616 East 18th St and Gem Theater 1615 East 18th St
Join us as we begin our day-long celebration of jazz legend Charlie Parker with an extraordinary Musical Salute. This special event will set the tone for the festivities, honoring Parker's immense contributions to the world of jazz and his enduring influence on music today.
Join us for a free Jazz Storytelling hour filled with music, history and exploring the life and music of Jazz Bebop legend Charlie Parker. Learn about his influence on the bebop movement and his enduring legacy in the world of jazz. An inspirational lesson for the whole family to enjoy.
Considered our intermediate combo. Students in this ensemble have a clear understanding of basic jazz styles and a solid grasp of early concepts of improvisation. Vine Street in Kansas City, Missouri runs north and south, intersecting some of the most noteworthy addresses in the 18th and Vine District. This group is directed by Matthew Baldwin.
Consists of the most advanced students in the program, many of whom earned selection in the Missouri or Kansas All-State Jazz Ensembles. This group also performs more than the others and can be heard at various jazz festivals and venues such as Kansas City, Missouri's Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. The cross section of 18th & Vine Street mark one of the most famous areas in America's jazz history, continuing to be the heartbeat of Kansas City Missouri's historic 18th & Vine District. The combo is directed by Stan Kessler and Charles Williams.
Do you want to be a jazz vocalist? Have you always wanted to learn the basics of songwriting? Are you ready to learn about the rich legacy of jazz, blues and R&B music? If you answered "yes" to these questions, then you are ready for Vocal Jazz classes. This class for middle and high school age students allows young singers an opportunity to hone their vocal ability while learning the specifics of the jazz style. This group is directed by Lisa Henry. Max Capacity: 10 students.
Piano class offers experienced and beginner students an opportunity to learn and explore jazz styles, theory, and technique. This class is open to elementary, middle, and high school students. This group is directed by Jacob Herzog. Max Capacity: 6 students.
1. One prepared piece of choice that may or may not include improvisation
2. Sight-reading
3. Improvisation over F or Bb blues changes (optional)
1. One prepared piece of choice that may or may not include improvisation
2. Sight-reading
3. Comping and improvisation over F or Bb blues changes
1. One prepared piece of choice that may or may not include improvisation
2. Sight-reading
3. Trading 4’s
4. Be required to play the following grooves - Swing, Funk/Rock, Latin
You may register and pay online, or if you prefer, register in the museum gift store, The Swing Shop, at the museum.
For more information about the academy, contact Clarence Smith, Manager of Kansas City Jazz Academy, at csmith@kcjazz.org.
