News
Remembering Jimmy Heath
The Institute is heartbroken to learn of the passing of Institute trustee Jimmy Heath, a giant of jazz who left an indelible mark on the music he loved and helped shape. At the age of 93, Heath was a living legend who bore that mantle with characteristic good humor and humility. In more than 70 […]
Getting the Band Back Together: National Peer-to-Peer Quintet performs at 2019 Competition
The 2019 edition of the Herbie Hancock Institute National Peer-to-Peer Jazz Quintet, comprising five of the most impressive high school jazz musicians in the country, recently reunited to perform at the Institute’s International Jazz Guitar Competition Finals & All-Star Gala at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC on December 3rd. On the same bill as such […]
2019 Guitar Competition Finalists Share Stage with Terence Blanchard, Herbie Hancock & Others at All-Star Gala Concert
Washington, DC – The 2019 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Guitar Competition and All-Star Gala Concert came to a thrilling conclusion following the announcement of Evgeny Pobozhiy, 30, of Seversk, Russia, as first place winner of the Competition. Pobozhiy then joined the evening’s honoree, Terence Blanchard, and a host of jazz guitar legends onstage for a […]
Semifinalists Announced for 2019 Guitar Competition, December 2-3 in Washington, D.C.
Competition Festivities Include All-Star Gala Concert Honoring Renowned Trumpeter/Composer Terence Blanchard Washington, D.C. —Twelve outstanding young jazz guitarists from around the world have been selected to compete in the 2019 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Guitar Competition on December 2-3 in Washington, D.C. The semifinalists are: Cecil Alexander of Muskegon, Michigan; Joseph Bell of Princeton, New […]
Newport Festivals Foundation supports Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA with donation of instruments
The Newport Festivals Foundation made a generous donation of musical instruments to the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, helping to ensure that current and future students in the program will have access to top-of-the-line tools for honing their craft. The Sakae drumset, Zildjian cymbals and Korg […]
Dr. Dyas in DownBeat: Tour Etiquette for Young Musicians
The following is an excerpt from the article “Road Rules: Tour Etiquette for Young Musicians” by Institute Vice President, Education and Curriculum Development Dr. JB Dyas, which appears in the October 2019 issue of DownBeat Magazine. Touring can be an exhilarating and rewarding experience–if you are prepared for it. But if you’re not prepared, being on the road can be a drag for the entire band and […]
2019 Guitar Competition To Take Place December 2-3 in Washington, D.C.
Applications due October 11, 2019 NOTE: The application deadline for the 2019 Guitar Competition has now passed. Applicants will be notified of the results of the preliminary judging by November 8, 2019. Washington, D.C —The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Competition will be presented on December 2-3 in Washington, D.C. Open to musicians age 30 […]
Application open for college program class entering fall 2020
Formerly known as the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance, the tuition-free two-year program accepts one ensemble of musicians for each class. Students study both individually and as a small group, receiving personal mentoring, ensemble coaching, and lectures on the jazz tradition from some of the world’s greatest living jazz musicians. Herbie Hancock and Wayne […]
Application now available for 2019 Guitar Competition
The 2019 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Guitar Competition will be presented on December 2-3 in Washington, D.C. The Competition is open to all guitarists who plan to pursue jazz performance as a career. Eligibility is exclusive to guitarists who are 30 years of age and under as of December 3, 2019. Applicants must […]
Los Angeles Jazz in the Classroom students open 24th annual Central Avenue Jazz Festival
Students in the Institute’s Los Angeles-area Jazz in the Classroom program performed as part of the featured lineup for the 24thannual Central Avenue Jazz Festival this weekend, continuing a tradition of participation in one of Southern California’s most beloved community jazz events. Made up of top high school jazz musicians from throughout the Los Angeles […]