JAZZ EDUCATION NETWORK

FOUNDED IN 2008, THE JAZZ EDUCATION NETWORK (JEN) IS A PREEMINENT JAZZ ARTS SERVICE ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS MUSIC EDUCATORS, STUDENTS, PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS, RESEARCHERS, MUSIC INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, AND JAZZ ENTHUSIASTS. JEN IS GUIDED BY ITS MISSION OF SERVING AS A GLOBAL ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO BUILDING THE JAZZ ARTS COMMUNITY BY ADVANCING EDUCATION, PROMOTING PERFORMANCE, AND DEVELOPING AUDIENCES. JEN IS COMMITTED TO REPRESENTING AND CULTIVATING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN ALL AREAS OF ITS OPERATION INCLUDING STAFF, BOARD MEMBERS, VOLUNTEERS, PRESENTERS, CLINICIANS, PERFORMERS AND AUDIENCES. THIS COMMITMENT IS PRESENT IN ALL PROGRAMS AND DECISION MAKING. WE WORK TO SUPPORT THE JAZZ COMMUNITY THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT ADVANCE EACH ASPECT OF OUR MISSION: COMMUNITY SESSIONS AND WORKSHOPS: DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, JEN PIVOTED ITS ORGANIZATIONAL FOCUS ON PROVIDING YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE JEN COMMUNITY TO CONNECT AND LEARN. THE ORGANIZATION HOSTS WEBINARS, INCLUDING WORKSHOPS, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, AND COMMUNITY FORUMS, FOR THE JEN COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITY-AT- LARGE TO LEARN ABOUT NEW TEACHING STRATEGIES, PRACTICE TECHNIQUES, AND MORE. OVER 57,000 INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN REACHED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. SCHOLARSHIPS: JEN'S SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE THE ORGANIZATION'S FOUNDING AND REMAINS AN IMPORTANT BENEFIT TO THE STUDENTS WE SERVE. EACH YEAR, WE RECOGNIZE TALENTED, HARDWORKING STUDENTS WITH A PASSION FOR JAZZ. JEN HAS GIVEN OVER 100,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS. JAZZ2U: WITH SUPPORT FROM THE HERB ALPERT FOUNDATION, JAZZ2U WAS FORMED TO HELP BRING CLINICIANS AND PERFORMERS TO SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE PROGRAM HAS GIVEN MORE THAN 200,000 TO SUPPORT BRINGING ARTISTS DIRECTLY TO SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS, WITH 35,000 INDIVIDUALS SERVED PER YEAR. SISTERS IN JAZZ COLLEGIATE COMBO: IN AN EFFORT TO SUPPORT JEN'S COMMITMENT TO REPRESENT AND CULTIVATE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN JAZZ, THE SISTERS IN JAZZ COLLEGIATE COMBO COMPETITION BRINGS TOGETHER WOMEN AND NON-BINARY JAZZ ARTISTS BETWEEN 18-29. THE PROGRAM CELEBRATES THE TALENT AND INFLUENCE OF WOMEN AND NON-BINARY JAZZ ARTISTS, AND IS LED BY A NOTEWORTHY WOMAN IN JAZZ. PAST DIRECTORS HAVE INCLUDED INGRID JENSEN, TIA FULLER, AND CLAIRE DALY. THE COMBO REHEARSES AND PERFORMS AT THE ANNUAL JEN CONFERENCE. YOUNG COMPOSERS SHOWCASE: THE YOUNG COMPOSER SHOWCASE SPOTLIGHTS YOUNG JAZZ COMPOSERS. EACH YEAR, 6 YOUNG COMPOSERS ARE SELECTED TO PREMIER THEIR WORK AT THE ANNUAL JEN CONFERENCE. THEIR COMPOSITIONS ARE PERFORMED BY NOTABLE PERFORMING ARTISTS AT THE ANNUAL JEN CONFERENCE. IN ADDITION TO THE PREMIER OF THEIR PIECES, ALL SELECTED COMPOSERS ALSO PARTICIPATE IN MENTORING SESSIONS WITH JAZZ COMPOSERS. OVER 70 YOUNG COMPOSERS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2012. COMMISSIONED CHARTS PROGRAM: IN 2016, JEN BEGAN TO COMMISSION CHARTS TO SUPPORT THE JEN COMMUNITY. EACH YEAR, JEN'S MEMBERSHIP RECEIVES 6 FREE CHARTS PER YEAR, INCLUDING VOCAL JAZZ AND BIG BAND ARRANGEMENTS. IN 2021, JEN COMMISSIONED CHARTS FROM AYN INSERTO, KATE SKINNER, JOHN CLAYTON, KRIS BERG, JOHN STAFFORD II, AND MIGUEL ZENON JENERATIONS JAZZ FESTIVAL: THE JENERATIONS JAZZ FESTIVAL IS MOUNTED IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR ANNUAL CONFERENCE EACH YEAR AND IS OPEN TO ANY PRIMARY SCHOOL, SECONDARY SCHOOL, COLLEGIATE, OR COMMUNITY ENSEMBLE . JENERATIONS JAZZ FESTIVAL PARTICIPANTS PLAY A 30-MINUTE SET BEFORE AN AUDIENCE AND THEN WORK FOR 30-MINUTES IN A CLINIC SESSION WITH PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS WHO HAVE OBSERVED THE PERFORMANCE. THESE CLINICIANS DISCUSS THE PERFORMANCE AND SUPPORT THE INDIVIDUALS PERFORMERS IN WAYS THEY CAN ELEVATE THEIR ART. STUDENTS WHO TAKE PART IN THE JENERATIONS JAZZ FESTIVAL THEN JOIN US FOR OUR ANNUAL CONFERENCE, CONTINUING THEIR LEARNING EXPERIENCE FROM JAZZ PROFESSIONALS AND INDUSTRY EXPERTS. ANNUAL CONFERENCE: THE CULMINATION OF JEN'S ACTIVITIES IS AT ITS ANNUAL CONFERENCE, HELD IN A DIFFERENT REGION OF THE UNITED STATES EACH YEAR. JEN'S ANNUAL CONFERENCE ATTRACTS OVER 3,500 PARTICIPANTS PER YEAR, WHICH INCLUDE, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO LEADING JAZZ ARTISTS, EDUCATORS, STUDENTS, AND JAZZ ENTHUSIASTS. DAILY SESSIONS AT THE FOUR-DAY CONFERENCE INCLUDE RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS, CLINIC SESSIONS, MUSIC INDUSTRY FORUMS, STAGED PERFORMANCES, AND JAM SESSIONS. THE CONFERENCE HAS BECOME A KEY CONVENING FOR THE JAZZ COMMUNITY EACH YEAR - A PLACE WHERE PARTICIPANTS FORGE CONNECTIONS AND DEEPEN RELATIONSHIPS THAT INFORM AND ANIMATE THEIR MUSICIANSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.