Jazz In Schools

About

“What we play is life.”

-Louis Armstrong

 

We believe that music can fulfill and enrich our lives beyond imagination. In particular, jazz is an art form that celebrates individuality and group success at the same time. While jazz is an often underutilized tool in music education, teachers agree that it has the power to uplift students and ensembles when used in the classroom. That’s where we come in. 

 

Whether it’s our Jumpin’ JaKs Pre-K program designed to help young students prepare for the classroom, our All That Jazz 4th grade curriculum which introduces students to the power and majesty of the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, or one of our many in-school music-making programs, we are proud to work closely with teachers to inspire and uplift students through music. Further, we are thrilled to introduce the Jazz Academy Teacher’s Toolkit, an innovative online teaching resource that considers real-world scenarios in music education and provides solutions to establishing and improving upon teachers’ jazz education methods.

 

We invite you to scroll through some of the offerings that we currently provide for general, instrumental, and vocal music. Keep in mind that our #1 priority is to create relevant jazz education opportunities that serve the needs of students and teachers, and we are always eager to discuss new and exciting possibilities with you. 

 

Sincerely,

Zach Compston

Director of Education and Community Engagement

Jazz Arts Group

zcompston@jazzartsgroup.org

General Music

Jumpin' JaKs (Pre-K)

Presented by the PNC Grow Up Great program, the Jazz Academy’s Jumpin’ JaKs preschool program introduces music and encourages creative self-expression and literacy for children aged three to five. It is a powerful program that fuses arts education with codified early childhood educational practices. Jumpin’ JaKs addresses school readiness through social and emotional development – the delivery system is arts and culture.

Jumpin’ JaKs is the cornerstone of our early childhood education programming, developed in partnership with music educator Rebecca Ogden.  This literacy-based program invites three to five year old children to sing, listen, dance, and learn about music – from classical to jazz – in a playful classroom environment. Activities presented focus on:

  • creative process
  • enhanced listening skills
  • language development, and
  • self-expression

Each class incorporates an exploration of music and instruments, movement, games, story time and singing songs.  In addition to musical themes, we utilize visual art activities to reinforce the content in a meaningful way. On the final visit, an additional guest musician visits each Jumpin’ JaKs class, providing the students with a live performance and sharing their talent, passion and expertise.

The Jazz Academy’s Jumpin’ JaKs program links to the Ohio Department of Education’s Early Learning Content Standards as well as learning outcomes established by the Child Development Center of Franklin County’s Head Start program. By partnering with Columbus City Schools, we are able to bring this curriculum to nearly 30 preschool classrooms each school year, including classrooms dedicated to students with special needs. 

At this time, our school-year Jumpin’ JaKs program is presented exclusively to Columbus City Schools locations. However, during the summer months, we are also able to provide this program to churches, community centers, and social service nonprofits with preschool programs. To inquire about bringing Jumpin’ JaKs to your organization this summer, please contact Savannah Gonsoulin, Education and Outreach Coordinator, at sgonsoulin@jazzartsgroup.org. 

Jazz Academy on Tour Assembly (Elementary)

The Jazz Academy on Tour in-school assembly program is designed to immerse students in the sounds of jazz in a fun and participatory setting. Led by Jazz Academy teaching artists Rob Dove and Jasmine Spitzer, each 1-hour concert contains performances of iconic jazz repertoire as well as educational songs that will have participants jumping, clapping, and singing along. Students will learn about important jazz artists such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald in addition to the unique sound and role of each instrument in the band. The Jazz Academy on Tour program is a flexible format that has captivated audiences of all ages in library, in-school, outdoor festival, and summer camp settings. 

Jazz Academy on Tour is available to any public or private school, as well as libraries, community centers, and social service organizations. For scheduling inquiries, please contact Savannah Gonsoulin, Education and Outreach Coordinator, at sgonsoulin@jazzartsgroup.org.

All That Jazz (4th-5th Grade)

The 18-piece Columbus Jazz Orchestra introduces the magic of jazz in a concert tailored especially for 4th and 5th grade students. The CJO will play big band jazz standards and demonstrate elements of jazz in a lively and interactive concert. The historic Southern Theatre serves as the perfect venue for this special performance, giving students a unique concert experience like no other! Our goal is to serve over 5,000 4th grade students in the Columbus metropolitan area with this program as they prepare to choose their own musical instrument in the coming years.

Prior to the concert, each teacher will receive interactive curriculum materials, including slides, videos, and audio recordings. Topics will include:

  • Birth of Jazz
  • The Blues
  • Improvisation
  • Swing
  • The Jazz Orchestra
  • Bebop and Latin Jazz

To learn more about ATJ, including registration and concert dates, visit www.jazzartsgroup.org/atjregistration

Jazz Academy Teacher's Toolkit Online Content

The Jazz Academy Teacher’s Toolkit is an online resource that provides music teachers with video lessons and tips for engaging their students through jazz. This resource is available to any Jazz Academy Member School. Lesson topics include:

  • Instrument Show-and Tell videos
  • One Day Lessons (Jazz Geography, Jazz Improvisation and more)
  • Music-Making Lessons 

Visit the Jazz Academy Teachers Toolkit at www.jazzacademyteacherstoolkit.com.

Instrumental Music

Guest Artists in Schools (Middle and High School)

Jazz Arts Group regularly brings both nationally and internationally known artists to Columbus and through Jazz academy programming, into schools. Your students will learn from a professional jazz musician and will have a chance to ask them questions and engage them in conversation. For many, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

If there is a particular guest artist visiting Columbus with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, or in one of our Jazz Arts Group presents performances, that you would like to bring to your classroom please reach out to Zach Compston at zcompston@jazzartsgroup.org.

Youth Jazz Lab in Schools (Middle School)

An outgrowth of the widely popular Columbus Youth Jazz Program, the CYJ Lab in Schools provides instrumental music students an opportunity to develop improvisation and musical teamwork skills through jazz. Designed in conjunction with Columbus City Schools and Fort Hayes High School Instrumental Music Director Mark Donavan, the CYJ Lab in Schools teaches students to learn and interpret music by ear and improvise within an ensemble. Using the award-winning Real Easy Book Volume 1, JAG teaching artists explore the 12-bar blues and standard jazz compositions while providing students the opportunity to create their own arrangements for performance.

The CYJ Lab in Schools is designed for 7-12th grade band programs, and is equally effective with concert bands and jazz bands alike.

“I was fortunate enough to sit out in the audience tonight…and I must say what an amazing job you’ve done teaching the middle school jazz band. This was a great experience and the parents were so enthusiastic about what Berwick has become.”

-Destiny Coleman, Director of Education and Community Programming – Opera Columbus

To bring this program into your classroom, email Zach Compston at zcompston@jazzartsgroup.org.

Jazz Academy Teacher's Toolkit Online Content

 

The Jazz Academy Teacher’s Toolkit is an online resource that provides music teachers with video lessons, playalongs and tips for improving their own jazz education methods as well as the skills of their students and ensembles. This resource is available to any Jazz Academy Member School. Lesson topics include:

  • Rhythm Section 101
  • Learn How to Improvise
  • Big Band Techniques (coming soon!)

Vocal Music

Youth Jazz Vocal Lab in Schools

An extension of the Columbus Youth Jazz Vocal Lab, the CYJ Vocal Lab in Schools provides vocal music students an opportunity to develop their solo jazz voice within their choir program. The CYJ Vocal Lab in Schools teaches students the hallmarks of jazz singing, including vocal jazz technique, style and improvisation. Using a combination of curated and previously published vocal jazz ensemble arrangements, CYJ Vocal Lab in Schools participants explore the ins and outs of jazz singing with teaching artist Rachel Azbell. Schools involved in this program receive four school visits within a semester leading to a final performance of the director’s choice. This program is effective and adaptable for all choir programs grades 7-12.

To bring this program into your classroom, email Rachel Azbell at razbell@jazzartsgroup.org

Guest Artists in Schools (Middle and High School)

Jazz Arts Group regularly brings both nationally and internationally known artists to Columbus and through Jazz academy programming, into schools. Your students will learn from a professional jazz musician and will have a chance to ask them questions and engage them in conversation. For many, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

If there is a particular guest artist visiting Columbus with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, or in one of our Jazz Arts Group presents performances, that you would like to bring to your classroom please reach out to Zach Compston at zcompston@jazzartsgroup.org.

Jazz Academy Teacher's Toolkit Online Content

The Jazz Academy Teacher’s Toolkit is an online resource that provides music teachers with video lessons, playalongs and tips for improving their own jazz education methods as well as the skills of their students and ensembles. This resource is available to any Jazz Academy Member School. Lesson topics include:

 

  • How to Sing Jazz: Getting Started
  • Vocal Jazz Style 101