This is an extraordinary moment in our history. We, the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, are proud to stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter global movement for justice and accountability, to root out the systemic racism that has been embedded in American life for centuries. Similar crimes against marginalized people all over the world can no longer be ignored.
With schools across the country and around the world closed to limit the spread of the coronavirus, we are working diligently to offer our free educational resources to students, teachers and educators making the difficult transition to learning at home. During this unprecedented time, we need your help to ensure we are able to continue offering our enriching programs to public school students across the country.
The Institute’s worldwide, highly regarded Jazz in the Classroom programs are tailored for elementary, middle, high school, and college students to help them develop an understanding of and appreciation for jazz music. The initiative strives to share the positive aspects of jazz with young people who would not otherwise have opportunities to learn about this great national treasure.
International Jazz Day is the world's largest annual celebration of jazz. Celebrated each year on April 30 in more than 190 countries on all seven continents, Jazz Day highlights jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe. On April 30, 2022, the Institute in partnership with UNESCO presented a series of free educational programs for viewers around the world, culminating in a spectacular All-Star Global Concert live from the United Nations featuring Herbie Hancock, Marcus Miller, Gregory Porter, David Sanborn, Linda Oh, Youn Sun Nah and other artists from 19 countries.
Through the Institute’s Peer-to-Peer Jazz Education Tours, gifted student musicians from twelve public performing arts high schools across the country present weeklong tours for their peers in other cities, performing and teaching alongside our master teaching artists.
The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA is a tuition-free two-year program that accepts one ensemble of musicians for each class. All of the students receive full scholarships and stipends to cover their monthly living expenses. The students study both individually and as a small group, receiving personal mentoring, ensemble coaching, and lectures on the jazz tradition. The Institute welcomed its 13th class of musicians in October 2021.
Math, Science and Music is a groundbreaking initiative that uses music as a tool to teach math and science to young people in public schools across the United States and around the world. The program addresses the growing need for students to gain skills and acquire knowledge in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects and learn to think creatively.