Dr. JB Dyas, the Institute’s Vice President for Education and Curriculum Development, visited the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA) from November 17-19 for a residency with the school’s jazz ensembles. In collaboration with LACHSA jazz instructor Alex Hahn, a graduate of the Institute’s master’s level college program at UCLA, Dr. Dyas worked closely with the school’s big band and jazz combos. He gave private lessons to select students and mentored LACHSA faculty.
Institute Vice President of Education and Curriculum Development Dr. JB Dyas conducts the student big band at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts during a residency for the Institute’s National Performing Arts High Schools program.
Institute Vice President of Education and Curriculum Development Dr. JB Dyas works with a student at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts during a residency for the Institute’s National Performing Arts High Schools program.
Dr. Dyas also presented his acclaimed clinic on preparing for college auditions and securing music-related scholarships (“Getting the Big Scholarship”), of special interest to students seeking to pursue degrees in jazz performance. The presentation includes a systematic method for preparing repertoire, requesting letters of recommendation and selecting prospective schools, with plenty of insight into what college and conservatory adjudicators look for in applicants.
LACHSA is a longtime partner school in the Institute’s National Performing Arts High Schools jazz initiative. This specialized, performance-based program enables students at the nation’s leading public performing arts high schools to participate in small combos and receive instruction in theory, composition, improvisation, history and styles, preparing them to attend leading college, university and conservatory music programs.
Through the National Performing Arts High Schools program, students benefit from regular workshops with professional jazz artists as well as an annual, multi-day residency by Dr. Dyas. Each residency includes private and group instruction on improvisation, theory, composition, jazz history and other topics, plus group rehearsals and master classes for all students in the jazz program. All in-person instruction follows relevant public health guidelines.
Institute Chairman Herbie Hancock played a prominent role in today’s 75th anniversary festivities for the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), helping to raise awareness of the UN agency’s unique mandate to foster unity through shared knowledge and cultural heritage. Hancock, who serves as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue, was invited to provide English narration for the official video overview of the many programs UNESCO has developed over the past 75 years.
The UNESCO 75th anniversary celebration is taking place during the organization’s 41st General Conference in Paris, France, where representatives from more than 190 member countries meet every two years to discuss and shape policies on topics ranging from the ethics of artificial intelligence to combatting misinformation.
International Jazz Day, which the Institute coordinates each year in cooperation with the UN, UNESCO and thousands of partners around the world, was first declared by a unanimous vote at UNESCO’s 36th General Conference in 2011.
About UNESCO
Founded in 1945 following the Second World War, UNESCO works to create the conditions for dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples, based upon respect for commonly shared values. It is through this dialogue that UNESCO accomplishes its mission to contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information. UNESCO’s overarching objectives include: attaining quality education for all and lifelong learning; mobilizing science knowledge and policy for sustainable development; addressing emerging social and ethical challenges; fostering cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace; and building inclusive knowledge societies through information and communication.
Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz and UCLA Announce Incoming Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA Class of 2023
Los Angeles, CA – Eight extraordinary young jazz musicians have been selected for the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA, Class of 2023 starting this fall. Each will attain a Master of Music in Jazz Performance degree from The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, one of the nation’s top music schools, after completing this intensive, two-year program in spring 2023.
The Class of 2023 includes tenor saxophonist Art Baden of Rostov-on-Don, Russia; alto saxophonist Devin Daniels of Inglewood, California; vocalist Darynn Dean of Los Angeles, California; trumpeter Julien Knowles of Fresno, California; bassist Emiliano Lasansky of Iowa City, Iowa; drummer Benjamin Ring of Piedmont, California; pianist Javier Santiago of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and clarinetist Matthew Stubbs of San Jose, California. The musicians were selected through a rigorous application process culminating in an audition judged by legendary jazz pianist Herbie Hancock; renowned musician, producer and philanthropist Herb Alpert; and trumpeter, Blue Note recording artist and Institute of Jazz Performance alumnus Ambrose Akinmusire.
Herbie Hancock noted, “I am very excited about this new class of talented young musicians. They follow in the footsteps of their predecessors who are leaders in the world of creative music. I know they will also make important contributions and I look forward to hearing their ideas and encouraging their creativity during their time in this unique program.”
Launched in 1995, the Institute of Jazz Performance accepts one ensemble of musicians for each class and provides them with unparalleled opportunities to study jazz and its defining element of improvisation with master musicians, composers and educators. All students receive full scholarships, along with stipends to cover their monthly living expenses. This enables them to be fully immersed in their education and development as artists.
“I am very excited about this new class of talented young musicians. They follow in the footsteps of their predecessors who are leaders in the world of creative music. I know they will also make important contributions and look forward to hearing their ideas and encouraging their creativity during their time in this unique program.“
Institute Chairman Herbie Hancock
Throughout each academic year, world-renowned jazz masters serve as Artists-in-Residence, teaching and performing with the students. Artists-in-Residence have included Kenny Barron, Terence Blanchard, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Terri Lyne Carrington, Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette, Nnenna Freelon, Kenny Garrett, Barry Harris, Stefon Harris, Roy Haynes, Dave Holland, Wynton Marsalis, Jason Moran, Lewis Nash, Danilo Pérez, Dianne Reeves, John Scofield, and Wayne Shorter among many others. In addition, the students receive composition instruction from GRAMMY Award winner Billy Childs and study improvisation with Jerry Bergonzi and Dick Oatts – two of the world’s top jazz improvisation experts. Students graduate with a master’s degree in Jazz Performance from The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.
The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA, Class of 2023, includes (from left) Emilio Lasansky (bass), Art Baden (tenor saxophone), Javier Santiago (piano), Matthew Stubbs (clarinet), Darynn Dean (vocals), Devin Daniels (alto saxophone), Julien Knowles (trumpet) and Benjamin Ring (drums). Photo by Don Liebig/ASUCLA Photography for the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz
The aspiring musicians study both individually and as a small group, receiving personal mentoring, ensemble coaching, and lectures on the jazz tradition. They are also encouraged to experiment in expanding jazz in new directions through their compositions and performances. A music business and technology component helps prepare the students for their careers as professional musicians.
Under the mentorship of their acclaimed instructors, the college students – collectively known as the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance Ensemble at UCLA – present high-profile concerts and lead jazz education and community outreach programs in Los Angeles, across the United States and around the world. In recent years, the students performed at International Jazz Day events in St. Petersburg, Russia; Havana, Cuba; and the White House. They also have participated in performance and education tours of Argentina, Chile, China, Egypt, India, Morocco, Peru, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam with Herbie Hancock.
Institute of Jazz Performance alumni – including Ambrose Akinmusire, Lionel Loueke, Gretchen Parlato, Walter Smith III, Dayna Stephens and Helen Sung, along with many others – have gone on to major careers as performing and recording artists, touring the world with legendary jazz musicians and as leaders of their own groups.
Philanthropist and namesake of The Herb Alpert School of Music, Herb Alpert said, “This new group of incredible young musicians will be able to perform together and learn as a group after a challenging period in which the pandemic created so many obstacles for musicians and live music performances. For them to have the opportunity to learn one-on-one and as a group from jazz masters is a beacon of hope in this difficult time.”
Institute President Tom Carter said, “The Institute is pleased to welcome this new group of phenomenal musicians into the program, where they will learn from legendary artists and some of the most creative minds in music. These students will serve as jazz ambassadors throughout the world as they perform and teach, sharing what they learn from jazz masters with future generations of musicians.”
UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music Inaugural Dean Eileen Strempel shared “The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA provides the most promising jazz talents with opportunities to learn from world-renowned jazz artists. Studying on a full academic graduate fellowship in The Herb Alpert School of Music’s rich, creative environment, students focus entirely on developing their artistry. We are delighted to continue our partnership with the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz and invest in the future of this vital art form.”
Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA – Class of 2023
Art Baden, tenor saxophone, was born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, and began playing piano, his first instrument, at age 4. He received full scholarships to attend the Hanze Prince Claus Conservatoire in Groningen, Netherlands, and a year later, the Berklee College of Music. At Berklee, he studied with Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, Ralph Peterson and Frank Tiberi, and received a Bachelor of Music degree. Baden placed third in the Michael Brecker International Saxophone Competition. He is an ambassador for Remy saxophones and has performed at clubs and festivals around the world with artists including Joe Locke, Ralph Peterson, Evgeny Pobozhiy and Alex Sipiagin.
Devin Daniels, alto saxophone, is from Inglewood, CA. He picked up the saxophone at age 11 and participated in the Institute’s Jazz in the Classroom and All-City Big Band music education programs in partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District. Daniels has also been part of the Southern California Honor Jazz Band, Fernando Pullum Jazz Band, Colburn School of Music Combo and Big Band, Los Angeles Youth Jazz Ensemble and Jazz America. He received awards from YoungArts, Vandoren Young Artists Competition, The Music Center and the Charles Dolo Coker Jazz Scholarship Foundation. Daniels was named Performer of the Year at Hamilton High School and the Berklee Jazz Workshop, and was a finalist for the Dave Brubeck Institute Quintet. He attended the Berklee College of Music as a Presidential Scholar and graduated with a B.M. in Professional Music. Daniels has performed with Billy Childs, Donald Vega, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Ralph Moore and Miguel Artwood Ferguson.
Darynn Dean, voice, was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. She graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music with a B.A. in Jazz Vocal Performance and a minor in Cultural Studies. She hails from a musical family: her father, Donald Dean, Jr., and grandfather, Donald Dean, Sr., are renowned drummers and her cousin, Jamael Dean, is a rising star pianist. Dean participated in the 2019 Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Residency and was mentored by Dee Dee Bridgewater and Jason Moran. She has performed with Freddie Cole, Dave Holland, Dave Koz, Hubert Laws and Aaron Parks. Dean placed first in the National YoungArts Foundation, Dolo Coker and NAACP ACT-SO competitions, and was a finalist in The Music Center Spotlight Awards. She performed at the 2021 Detroit Jazz Festival with The Woodshed Network and sang at the Los Angeles Jazz Society’s “Celebrating the World of Quincy Jones” tribute.
Julien Knowles, trumpet, was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Fresno, CA. He began playing trumpet at age 10. In 2015, Knowles received the Presidential Scholarship and the Agnes Barringere Music Memorial Endowment to attend the Jazz and Improvisational Music program at the University of Nevada, Reno. He studied with Ralph Alessi, Peter Epstein, Adam Benjamin and Shane Endsley, and received the Nevada Undergraduate Research Award to study composition with John Hollenbeck and present new works for large ensemble. Knowles co-founded the Laughing Planet Jam Session and the Visiting Artist Committee, which presented residencies with top jazz artists. He has played trumpet and composed for the Reno Jazz Orchestra, performing with Kurt Elling, Tierney Sutton and Diane Schuur.
Emiliano Lasansky, bass, was born in Iowa City, IA. He is the recipient of numerous honors, including a DownBeat Student Award, third place in the International Society of Bassists Competition, and two residency fellowships at the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Workshop at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He has studied with Jeff Campbell, Bill Dobbins, Dariusz Terefenko and Gary Palmer. Since graduating from the Eastman School of Music with a Bachelor of Arts degree, Lasansky has performed with artists including Dennis Mackrel, Jimmy Greene, Harold Danko and Clay Jenkins. He has served as a teacher at the Rockport Jazz Camp and Birch Creek Music Performance Center.
Benjamin Ring, drums, is from Piedmont, CA. He was accepted into the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra at age 12 and both the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars and the Berkeley Jazzschool Studio Band at age 14. Ring also participated in the Brubeck Institute Summer Jazz Colony and the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra. While earning his Bachelor of Arts in Music at the University of Southern California, he studied with Ndugu Chancler, Peter Erskine, Will Kennedy, Vince Mendoza and Patrice Rushen. Performing across Europe, Japan and the United States, Ring has shared the stage with David Binney, Terri Lyne Carrington, Louis Cole, Ravi Coltrane, Remy LeBoeuf, Donny McCaslin, Bob Mintzer, Patrice Rushen, Ed Simon and members of the San Francisco and Chicago symphonies. He has received scholarships and awards from the Monterey Jazz Festival, YoungArts and SFJAZZ.
Javier Santiago, piano, was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN, and has lived in New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area. He was selected to participate in the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Workshop at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and in the Mentor Fellowship Program at the Stanford Jazz Workshop. In addition, he won first place honors in the 2015 American Jazz Pianist Competition and received the 2016 McKnight Fellowship for Musicians. Santiago attended the Brubeck Institute at the University of the Pacific and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music at The New School, where he studied with Aaron Goldberg, Kevin Hays, Aaron Parks and Edward Simon. He has released two albums on the Ropeadope label.
Matthew Stubbs, clarinet, was born in San Jose, CA, and grew up in nearby Mountain View. He began playing clarinet at age 9. Throughout his teens, he was involved with both the San Jose and San Francisco High School All-Star programs and toured Eastern Europe with the El Camino Senior Symphony. Stubbs graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Performance and Jazz Composition from the Berklee College of Music and later received a M.M. in Contemporary Performance from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute. He has studied with Terri Lyne Carrington and George Garzone, among many others, and has performed with Danilo Pérez, Kenny Werner and Rakalam Bob Moses. Stubbs was the last clarinetist to be featured in the late Ralph Peterson’s Fo’tet.
About the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz
The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz is a nonprofit education organization established in 1986. Its mission is to offer the world’s most promising young musicians college level training by internationally acclaimed jazz masters and to present public school-based music education programs for young people around the world. The Institute preserves, perpetuates and expands jazz as a global art form, and utilizes jazz as a means to unite people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities. All of the Institute’s programs are provided free of charge to students, schools and communities worldwide. The Institute’s programs help fill a tremendous void in arts education left by budget cuts in public school funding, and use jazz as the medium to encourage imaginative thinking, creativity, a positive self-image, and respect for one’s own and others’ cultural heritage.
About the Herb Alpert School of Music at UCLA
In January 2016, the University of California Board of Regents formally established The Herb Alpert School of Music as UCLA’s 12th professional school and the first music school in the University of California system. Created in 2007 with a $30 million gift from the Herb Alpert Foundation, the school sets a new standard for 21st century music schools by balancing performance and scholarship, and by embracing classical western music, world music and jazz, and popular contemporary music. With more than 550 undergraduate and graduate students, the school offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs through three highly rated academic departments, each with internationally acclaimed faculty. The Department of Music competes for students with the nation’s top music schools. It provides intensive individual studio instruction, thorough theoretical training and full participation in large and small ensembles, and offers many degree tracks including the M.M. degree in conjunction with the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. The Department of Ethnomusicology is the only one of its kind in the U.S. and the most celebrated program in the world for the study of diverse musical cultures. The Department of Musicology teaches and conducts research on jazz, heavy metal, techno, musical theater, and other forms of popular music as well as European classical music. The National Research Council recently recognized UCLA Musicology as the top ranked academic music doctoral program in the U.S.Visit The Herb Alpert School of Music at UCLA online.
The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation announced that renowned saxophonist, composer, bandleader and Institute Trustee Wayne Shorter is among the recipients of the 2021 Doris Duke Artist Awards, recognizing his extraordinary contributions to composed and improvised music over a career spanning more than six decades.
Shorter joins his bandmate, UNESCO Artist for Peace and longtime Institute collaborator Danilo Pérez, as well as pianist Kris Davis in the Awards’ jazz category. Also among the honorees is theater director Lileana Blain-Cruz, who is currently collaborating with Shorter on his operatic work, “Iphigenia,” set to a libretto by esperanza spalding.
First awarded in 2011, the Doris Duke Artist Awards provide a select group of exemplary artists with prizes of $275,000 each, $250,000 of which is unrestricted. According to the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, “The award is not a lifetime achievement award. Rather, it is a deep investment in the creative potential of dedicated artists. The foundation aims to empower Doris Duke Artists through the freedom of unrestricted support to take creative risks, explore new ideas, and pay for important professional and personal needs not typically funded by the project-related grants that dominate arts funding.”
The Institute sends its sincere congratulations to Shorter and all of the 2021 Doris Duke Artists on this well-deserved honor.
Iconic jazz guitarist and educator Stanley Jordan paid a visit to the Institute’s Jazz in the Classroom programs at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and Wilson High School in Washington, D.C. this week, sharing insights gained over more than four decades of playing professionally. Jordan’s sessions at Ellington and Wilson heralded the return of in-person, socially distanced master classes for the Institute’s programs in the District of Columbia, following 18 months of online-only learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Students at Ellington had the chance to show off their chops for Jordan on arrangements of Thad Jones’ “A Child is Born,” Chick Corea’s “Spain” and Roy Hargrove’s “Strasbourg/St. Denis.” The multi-GRAMMY Award nominee offered feedback on the performances, encouraging the young players to be mindful of the unique musical personalities of their peers, and to support others’ self-expression.
Guitarist Stanley Jordan conducts a Jazz in the Classroom master class for students at Wilson High School in Washington, D.C. Photos by Jonathan Bartlett for Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz
At Wilson, Jordan went in-depth on topics including the minor blues, turnarounds and group dynamics. He worked closely with the student guitarists, highlighting voicings that can be used to complement the role of the piano in the ensemble, and discussed the importance of honoring the vision of the arranger and composer when interpreting a chart. While rehearsing the Lou Donaldson tune “Blues Walk,” the young musicians had an opportunity to play alongside the legendary guitarist as he conducted the band from the rhythm section.
The session also afforded older Wilson students an opportunity to reconnect with Jordan – who had previously visited the school for an Institute master class prior to the pandemic – asking him questions about his diverse musical, scientific and educational pursuits.
About Stanley Jordan
Stanley Jordan is an extraordinary artist who has earned headlines around the world for his innovative way of playing guitar. By age 13, he had begun studying jazz and developing his distinctive technique, which allows him to play chords with both hands or perform two simultaneous melodies. Jordan attended Princeton University, where he studied music and had the opportunity to perform with Benny Carter and Dizzy Gillespie. Following a period as a street musician in New York, he released his 1985 album Magic Touch, making him the first artist signed to the newly recreated Blue Note label. After several more releases, Jordan retreated from the limelight, moving to the Southwest to pursue his growing interest in music therapy. In recent years, he has continued to tour and record while still devoting time to his passion for music therapy. Jordan’s latest release, in collaboration with fellow guitarist Kevin Eubanks, is titled Duets.
About Jazz in the Classroom
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. Through Jazz in the Classroom, the Institute has reached millions of students, teachers, and families in major cities as well as rural and remote communities, with many of the participants experiencing jazz for the first time. With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to impact learning across the country, the Institute is working closely with teachers and officials at each of its partner schools to offer instruction that meets students’ needs while also adhering to public health policies. The Institute continues to offer virtual programming where necessary.
Students across the Institute’s programs recently began heading back to school for the 2021-22 academic year, with the continuing impacts of COVID-19 necessitating a wide range of safety protocols and alternative strategies, including continued virtual learning. The Institute is working diligently with teachers and administrators in each of its partner schools to confront the complex challenges presented by the pandemic, and ensure that students from every background continue to get the most out its programming.
Jazz in the Classroomactivities are ramping back up in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. Institute teaching artists are bringing their insight to jazz band, combo, orchestra and other ensemble classes, helping students grasp and practice such musical concepts as improvisation, song form and swing. Instruction also focuses on building life skills that will aid students throughout their academic careers and beyond. Of particular importance, the study of jazz is a highly effective method for developing discipline, enhancing communication, sharpening math skills, and–naturally–learning to improvise, a critical ability in everyday life.
Institute staff, instructors and students are happy to be discussing these lessons face-to-face once again, even masked and with appropriate social distancing. “Teaching virtually has its advantages–for one thing, being able to reach so many students throughout the country–but there is nothing quite like being back in the classroom and in front of a band,” says Institute Vice President of Education and Curriculum Development Dr. JB Dyas. “We are tremendously excited to be able to resume in-person teaching and learning with the necessary safety measures in place.”
After more than a year of meeting exclusively via videoconference, Dyas is in the process of scheduling school site visits for the Institute’s National Performing Arts High Schools(NPAHS) jazz program, an annual tradition that the pandemic disrupted. He is set to travel to partner schools in Chicago, Miami, Dallas, Houston and other locations over the course of the fall semester. At the same time, the Institute expects to reinstitute weekly visits by local master instructors at schools in the NPAHS program, working with students on a wide variety of jazz topics, including ensemble playing, time feel and improvisation. This intensive technical instruction will help the young players hone vital performance skills that were difficult to practice during self-isolation.
The current hybrid landscape marks a change from the previous academic year, when the Institute offered all of its free jazz education programming virtually in accordance with state and local policy and public health guidelines. Core initiatives such as Jazz in the Classroom and the National Performing Arts High Schools jazz program were retooled to focus on concepts compatible with the distance learning format, including music theory, reading rhythms, repertoire memorization, transcription, active listening and jazz history. Students had overwhelmingly positive responses to the adapted setup. One student noted that “despite the world seemingly shutting down,” Jazz in the Classroom “showed that music will always keep on going, which is very inspiring to me.”
In addition, last spring seniors in the Institute’s programs had an impressive finish to their high school studies, with 100% graduating from high school and more than 90% going on to college, most receiving scholarships. Many cited the Institute as a helpful influence during the pandemic. Said one recent graduate, “Having jazz as a creative outlet during that difficult time was how I kept a positive outlook on life.”
Renowned first-generation Filipino-American saxophonist and composer Jon Irabagon, winner of the Institute’s 2008 International Saxophone Competition, is set to star in an innovative new performance film released by Columbus, Ohio, nonprofit A Tribe for Jazz.
LEGACY: Jon Irabagon, a Solo Tenor Odyssey showcases Irabagon performing his original compositions entirely unaccompanied in a dramatic black box theater environment. Included in the 40-minute concert is career-spanning repertoire featuring two previously unreleased compositions, “Greebles” and “Alliance.” Directed by Julian Melanson and produced by A Tribe for Jazz Executive Director Stephanie Matthews, the film will also shine a spotlight on Columbus institutions including the Columbus Dance Theatre, Garden Manor House, Le Meridien Columbus, Columbus Athletic Club, Lincoln Social and The Guild House.
At the Institute’s 2008 Saxophone Competition, Irabagon was awarded first-place honors by a distinguished panel of judges including Jane Ira Bloom, Jimmy Heath, Greg Osby, David Sánchez and Institute Trustee Wayne Shorter. Performing alongside GRAMMY and Tony Award-winning vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, who currently serves as an Institute Trustee, the Chicago-born saxophonist wowed the audience with his memorable interpretation of the classic jazz standard “Just Friends.”
“The Competition was a chance to meet many of my colleagues and heroes,” says Irabagon. “The world needs more of that. Mr. Shorter in particular was adamant about me finding my own way and direction in this music, and that is the biggest, most important thing I took from that weekend. I wouldn’t be as confident or undeterred with my own music without having been a part of the Competition.”
2008 International Saxophone Competition winner Jon Irabagon performs alongside Institute Trustees Wayne Shorter and Jimmy Heath at the Institute’s 25th Anniversary Celebration at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, September 12, 2011. Photo by Chip Latshaw.
Since his Competition win, Irabagon has repeatedly topped leading critics’ polls, including the DownBeat Rising Star categories for both alto and tenor saxophone, and was named one of New York City’s 25 Jazz Icons by Time Out New York. His collaborations with an array of artists and groups from across the jazz spectrum, including Dave Douglas, Barry Altschul, Rudy Royston, Mary Halvorson, Matt Mitchell and Mostly Other People Do the Killing — with which he recorded Blue in 2014, a note-for-note recreation of Miles Davis’ vaunted release Kind of Blue — have gained him wide recognition. Irabagon launched his own imprint, Irabbagast Records, in 2012, and has released 12 full-length albums to date.
Today, Irabagon is a leading voice on the saxophone whose musical vision reflects both his improvisational and compositional mastery and a deep commitment to his Filipino heritage. In 2014, he was awarded the Pamana ng Pilipino Presidential Award for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas, recognizing his contribution to the perception of Filipinos worldwide.
About A Tribe for Jazz
Formed by jazz and arts supporter Bruce Halliburton, A Tribe for Jazz is a nonprofit organization with a mission to preserve the legacy and advance the future of jazz through visual storytelling, live and virtual performances, education and community engagement. The nonprofit says LEGACY is “the first of many special, transformative moments to follow from A Tribe for Jazz, as it weaves stories and themes from varied angles, fused with unexpected and dynamic visuals, to present a portrait of jazz as the captivating, multidimensional art form that it is.”
Among the myriad challenges COVID-19 has created for students and teachers, music education has proven a tough nut to crack. This is particularly true for jazz, with its emphasis on interaction, musical conversation and spontaneity – all rendered decidedly less practical by the constraints of virtual learning. Students like Elder Gindroz, a pianist, longtime participant in the Institute’s Los Angeles Jazz in the Classroom program and member of the Class of 2021 spent much of the last academic year finding creative ways to stay engaged when the bandstand was off limits.
“It was very disappointing to not be able to play live with my school ensembles and combos this past year,” says Gindroz, echoing similar sentiments from young jazz musicians across the country. Still, the talented pianist turned his long hours at home into an opportunity for growth, from brushing up on fundamentals (“practicing, transcribing, listening to a lot of music”) to acquiring new competencies that will serve him long after the pandemic has faded. “The newest skill I learned,” he notes, “was how to better navigate the process of making recordings at home.”
This expertise was on full display at the Institute’s Jazz in the Classroom Virtual Spring Concert, presented in June 2021 with the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Beyond the Bell Branch Music and Entertainment Education. Gindroz joined his classmates from the top combo, led by Jazz Director Philip Topping, at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts at Hamilton High School for a virtual rendition of Cedar Walton’s “Ugetsu.”
Elder Gindroz, top left, joined fellow students from the Academy of Music and Performing Arts at Hamilton High School (clockwise from top right) Osmar Barrios on drums, Brennan Sakata on bass, Kobie Dozier on tenor saxophone and Declan Houlihan on vibraphone for the Institute’s 2021 Jazz in the Classroom Virtual Spring Concert.
Students performed under the direction of Institute teaching artist Kevin Kanner, a Hamilton alum. As has become a familiar practice over the past 18 months, individual parts were recorded asynchronously at home, and then stylishly edited together by the students. Though none of the players were in the same room, the performance sounded crisp and lively, with swinging solos by Gindroz on piano and bandmates Kobie Dozier on tenor saxophone and Brennan Sakata on bass.
The masterful recording is especially impressive considering that Gindroz, along with fellow recent Hamilton graduates Osmar Barrios and Declan Houlihan, began his jazz journey just five years ago as a Jazz in the Classroom student at Walter Reed Middle School.
All three students credit their time in Institute programs with helping them develop a deep-seated passion for jazz. Notes Barrios, a drummer, “it was amazing to be able to work with extremely talented musicians like Dontae Winslow and Kevin Kanner. They are incredible musicians and human beings. In the sessions that I would get with the school combos I would learn a lot about jazz; not only how to swing but also where jazz comes from. The Institute is a great opportunity to grow musically and as a person.”
For Houlihan, a vibraphonist, “the Herbie Hancock Institute was a very significant and essential part of my jazz education, starting in middle school up until my senior year of high school. I feel very lucky and privileged to have been shown the foundations of bebop, how to transcribe, how to listen to my bandmates and play with them–the truest essence of the music.”
“I was excited to see three students who were previously in the Jazz in the Classroom program at Reed continue with the program at Hamilton,” says Reed Middle School Orchestra and Jazz Director Stewart Rosen. “It is truly amazing to see how far they were able to take jazz in their four years in high school. I am so proud of them, and I know they all have so much to look forward to after graduating.”
Gindroz, Barrios and Houlihan now join more than 80 other Institute students across the country who are slated to start their collegiate studies in the fall.
Many members of the Class of 2021 will be entering professional music programs at prestigious institutions such as the Berklee College of Music, Juilliard, New England Conservatory of Music, and Manhattan School of Music. Others plan to pursue studies in areas as diverse as marine biology, physics, business and pre-med at schools including New York University, Stanford, the University of Miami, the University of Michigan, Vanderbilt, California State University, Northridge and many more. Three students will matriculate at UCLA, recently ranked one of the top 15 universities in the world by Times Higher Education and the home of the Institute’s master’s degree program, the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.
Adding to the impressive slate of college destinations is the fact that 76% of graduating seniors secured significant scholarships, with most covering at least 25% of tuition. This financial support is crucial in enabling many Jazz in the Classroom graduates to attend college. As part of their participation in the Institute’s program, students have access to experienced mentors and teaching staff who provide vital input on scholarship applications and even advocate directly for students.
Jazz in the Classroom has been a core program of the Institute since 1989, introducing millions of young people to jazz and its rich history through weekly music instruction and instrument training sessions. Like all Institute programs, Jazz in the Classroom is offered entirely free of charge to participating students, families, schools and communities. In addition to regular instruction in major cities like Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., the program reaches tens of thousands of students every year through master classes and assembly programs in urban, rural and remote areas of the country. Leading jazz musicians and educators teach and serve as role models, helping students enhance their creativity and self-esteem.
Beyond enhancing students’ understanding of and appreciation for jazz, programs like Jazz in the Classroom have well-documented related benefits, especially for students from low-income or otherwise disadvantaged backgrounds. Through intensive mentorship and regular technical instruction, students are given the tools to unlock their potential in addition to their musical ability – preparing them for success in academics, in the workplace and in later life. As a recent report by the San Francisco Conservatory of Music notes, “The benefits of music training reach far beyond the domain of music-making. Children perform better on IQ tests and enjoy enhanced abilities in other domains, such as mathematics, the ability to focus, make decisions, and hold multiple ideas in their minds at one time.” In addition, music programs “improve school attendance and graduation rates.”
The Institute is proud that 100% of Jazz in the Classroom students graduate from high school, with more than 95% going on to college.
“Having the teaching artists from the Institute work side-by-side with our schools has encouraged participants to continue studying and performing jazz, but more importantly has taught them how to use the creative energy that jazz intensifies in all parts of their lives. The students and teachers involved in the program continue to sing (and play) the praises.”
For Gindroz, Jazz in the Classroom has played an important role in helping him expand his horizons both on and off the bandstand. The 18-year-old, who will matriculate at California State University, Northridge in the fall, gave his first public jazz performance as an eighth-grader at an Institute concert, and just a few years later was selected to compose and perform an original piece in honor of jazz legend Herbie Hancock.
“Jazz opens up your mind,” says Gindroz, “and provides you with a better understanding and appreciation for many other genres of music. Unlike classical piano, which is more about learning and perfecting pieces exactly how they are written, jazz requires you to delve deeper into yourself to improvise and have your own voice. I believe this process builds confidence and originality that will help in many different aspects of life.”
Asked about the role of jazz in helping him navigate the challenges of the pandemic, Gindroz simply replied, “Having jazz as a creative outlet during that difficult time was how I kept a positive outlook on life.”
Through an inspired collaboration with 14-time GRAMMY and Academy Award-winning pianist and composer Herbie Hancock along with an award-winning team of animators from Atomic Kid Studios, the Young Academic Research Group (YAM) at the Touro Graduate School of Education in New York City has released the first in a series of animated videos showcasing innovative methods for educating kindergarteners.
Titled “Treble Leads the Class,” the newly-released video is part of a supplemental curriculum developed by YAM that uses the power of music to help kindergarteners learn about numeracy, problem-solving and computational thinking. YAM is an early phase education and research program led by professors Susan Courey, Timothy Bellavia and Roslyn Haber and funded through a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.
In “Treble Leads the Class,” characters Treble Clef and Four-Four Signature overcome Treble’s nerves and anxiety while leading the class in a lesson on notes, rhythm and the music making process.
Hancock, whose commitment to educating young musicians through his work as Chairman of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz led to appointments as an adjunct professor at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue, narrates the entire video. “I’m thrilled to be able to create new ways for children to learn about music,” said Hancock. “I hope this video and the others to come will help instill a sense of fun and musical inspiration for kids around the world.”
“Treble Leads the Class” tells the tale of characters Treble Clef and his best friend Four-Four Signature. Treble, like many young children, battles nerves and anxiety when talking with others. When he’s chosen to lead his classmates during a day at school, Treble is challenged with facing those fears. Thankfully, his friend Four-Four is there to keep him calm. Much of the video’s dialogue relies on the language of music to enlighten kids about notes, rhythm and the process of making music.
“I’m thrilled to be able to create new ways for children to learn about music. I hope this video and the others to come will help instill a sense of fun and musical inspiration for kids around the world.”
– Institute Chairman Herbie Hancock
The story for “Treble Leads the Class” was co-written by Courey and Bellavia. “This exciting program integrates mathematics, music, and computational thinking in an engaging way for kindergarteners,” says Courey. “Young children will learn rhythm and music notation, while fun and creative activities will provide structured opportunities for students to connect math skills to music and computational thinking at an early age.”
All characters in the video are voiced by CJ Emmons, a singer/songwriter/producer who also serves as the principal singer on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.” The video also features original compositions from Nick Vayenas, a graduate of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance master’s program.
When Courey and Bellavia saw the animated version of their story and characters for the first time, Bellavia said, “I feel like I am watching the birth of my children. Amazing!”
Building on the efforts of the talented team of educators, musicians and artists, “Treble Leads the Class” and its characters were brought to life by animators, editors and producers at the award-winning Atomic Kid Studios in Milford, Conn.
Stephen Barrante, co-founder of Atomic Kid Studios’ animation and video production studio, has an especially personal connection to jazz and this project: “My father was a college professor and jazz pianist and exposed me at a young age to artists and legends like Herbie Hancock,” says Barrante. “Working with YAM and Mr. Hancock has been an honor and a career highlight for all of us at Atomic Kid.”
In honor of the collaboration with Hancock, “Treble Leads the Class” premiered during this year’s International Jazz Day. Launched in 2011 by UNESCO at Hancock’s urging, International Jazz Day is celebrated worldwide every year on April 30. This year marked the event’s 10th anniversary and featured a virtual All-Star Global Concert. The concert was hosted by Academy Award-winning actor Michael Douglas from the United Nations and featured performances by Hancock and dozens of other artists.
Officially designated by the United Nations and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and recognized on the official calendars of both the UN and UNESCO, International Jazz Day highlights jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe. The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz is the lead nonprofit organization charged with planning, promoting and producing this annual celebration.
The Institute’s Board of Trustees and staff are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former Institute Trustee and longtime friend of the Institute Lynda Thomas. A steadfast lover and supporter of the arts, Thomas was passionate about increasing access to meaningful arts education and mentorship experiences–especially among the less fortunate and those from marginalized communities. During her time on the Institute’s Board, her vision and guidance proved truly inspiring, and were instrumental in helping the organization navigate a period of unprecedented success and expansion. Our thoughts are with Thomas’ family and loved ones during this difficult time.
Lynda Thomas passed away peacefully at the home she shared with her beloved fiancé, Stuart Subotnick. She is survived by her sister Liz, her brothers Louis, Larry, & Leslie, her daughters Aimée & Angélique, and her son Lee.
Born on March 25, 1950 to Louis & Dorothy Levy, Lynda grew up in New Orleans. She was a Senior Manager/CPA/consultant at Deloitte Haskins and Sells in London. She also traveled extensively with the Pacific Council on International Policy, and the National Democratic Institute. Over the past several years, these visits included North Korea, South Sudan, Myanmar, Cuba, Argentina, Poland, Germany, and the Balkans. Lynda served as an international election monitor in Tunisia for parliamentary elections in 2011, and for their first post-revolution direct presidential election in 2014.
Committed to helping children, Lynda volunteered as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate to promote the best interests of abused and neglected youth. Lynda also had a passion for the arts, and was on the boards of the Bowers Museum, Backhausdance, and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz–previously known as the Thelonious Monk Institute–an organization with worldwide educational programs including International Jazz Day.
Lynda had a warm, generous, and kind spirit, and was deeply loved by all those close to her. A memorial service will be held at the Frank Campbell Funeral Chapel on June 12 at 1pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a charity of your choice that best represents her dedication to arts education and international justice.
