The Jazz Arts Group of Columbus (JAG) will continue its partnership with the JPMorgan Chase Foundation to serve the greater Columbus and Weinland Park areas through its Jazz Academy community and school programs. With its recent $85,000 award to the “Creative Communities” project, JPMorgan Chase has invested nearly a quarter million dollars in this strong combination of programs for children over the past three years.
The “Creative Communities” project strives to build creative environments that promote high levels of engagement, learning, and achievement for all involved. Partnering with the Columbus City Schools, the Godman Guild, and the CDC Headstart of Franklin County, “Creative Communities” has four main components: the Chase Jazz Academy Fellowship Program; Godman Guild Collaborations; Weinland Park Music Making; and, support for the Jazz Academy community programs and facility in the historic Lincoln Theatre complex.
“Jazz Arts Group is connecting and inspiring our community’s young people in
unique ways,” said Jeff Lyttle, Region Executive for JPMorgan Chase & Co.
“No other organization can offer the strong content, community partnerships,
music, and the tools, technology and space of the Jazz Academy. This
one-of-a-kind program is resonating in our neighborhoods, and Chase is truly
proud to be its founding underwriter.”
CHASE JAZZ ACADEMY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM:
The Chase Jazz Academy Fellowship Program is a workforce development program
designed to provide teens with a broad understanding of music business,
technology and performance. The Chase Fellows have a regular work schedule
consisting of Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30 – 6:30 p.m., from October
2011 through May 2012. The Chase Fellow is paid $8.00 per hour and must
serve as a volunteer for the Jazz Arts Group for at least 3 hours each month
of the fellowship. Upon completing the Chase Fellowship Program, the Fellow
should have:
* A strong understanding of music industry software systems,
including GarageBandTM and ProToolsTM; and the recording, mixing and
mastering process
* A basic understanding of the composition process, including
instrumental and lyric writing
* A strong understanding of aspects of music business and
professionalism
* A grasp of the history and significance of jazz and American music
New to the program this year, the Chase Jazz Academy Fellows have been
invited to participate as composers and performers for the annual Dr. Martin
Luther King Day celebration at Veteran’s Memorial auditorium on Monday,
January 16, 2012.
GODMAN GUILD COLLABORATIONS:
The Jazz Academy will work with the Godman Guild’s A.C.E.S. program (After
School Program through Community Leaders, Educators and Students) to offer
extended learning opportunities through jazz and American music. This
program will kick off in November 2011 with a program for students in grades
K-2 based on the blues. The students will learn about the history and
significance of the blues, 12-bar blues form, and then create their own
blues lyrics. The students will then work with an ensemble of professional
musicians to rehearse and ultimately perform their composition at the
February 2012 Godman Guild Family Night at Weinland Park Elementary School.
The program will continue in March with students in grades 3-5 participating
in the A.C.E.S. program.
The Jazz Academy will partner with the Godman Guild’s T.E.E.N. program (Teen
Education and Employment Network) to offer programs that will allow young
people to explore their creativity. The teens will visit the Jazz Academy
facility four times and participate in one of three workshops: “Exploring
Improvisation through the Drum Circle;” “Writing & Rapping;” or, “Live
Recording.”
The summer S.T.E.P. program (Summer Teen Employment Program) provides
teenagers summer work opportunities. Hosted by the Godman Guild, Jazz Arts
Group’s Jazz Academy participated in the S.T.E.P. program again this past
summer. Six teens worked 20 hours per week for six weeks writing, producing
and performing original music that was part of the S.T.E.P. annual awards
ceremony at the Schottenstein Center in August 2011. A few of these students
also performed at the Weinland Park community festival. The academy plans to
participate in the S.T.E.P. program again during the summer of 2012.
WEINLAND PARK MUSIC MAKING:
Jumpin’ JaKs (Jazz & Kids) is the Jazz Academy’s preschool program that
combines literacy/early childhood education with music making. Monthly,
preschools through the CDC Headstart of Franklin County, who makes its home
in the Weinland Park community, come to the Jazz Academy for Jumpin’ JaKs.
For the past two years, the Academy has partnered with the head start
program at the Schoenbaum Center; starting in November, the partnership will
be with the head start program at the Godman Guild.
Making Choices is a Jazz in Schools residency program for middle school
students which will take place at Dominion Middle School during the 2011-12
academic year. The program provides opportunities for musicians to
contribute and interact personally with the teachers and the students. The
musicians, led by drummer Reggie Jackson, offer a side-by-side opportunity
for band students and their director to play, improvise and develop
individual perspectives within the structure and roots of the blues. Each
student is encouraged to understand the blues as an option while making
creative decisions and exploring the possibilities music has to offer, both
in and outside of the school environment.