Dear JEN friends,
Our Jazz Education Network Founders were very wise in choosing the name of our organization. By using the word Network in our title, they had a vision of how communication has and continues to evolve and they set a path that acknowledges the changes in how we interact. JEN was founded to serve as a vehicle to bring together all aspects of those interested in furthering jazz and jazz education.
In this spirit, JEN has been in conversation for several months with three of the top jazz magazine publishers, JAZZed, JazzTimes and DownBeat, with the goal of being more inclusive in connecting jazz educators, performers and fans. With much discussion and thought we have recently finalized agreements with these publications to further bring together jazz and the jazz education community. Each of these magazines has generously agreed to offer JEN members discounted subscriptions and will cover and help promote JEN. We are most grateful to JAZZed magazine for their extraordinary support with the starting and implementation of JEN and look forward to continuing to work with them, JazzTimes, DownBeat and possibly other publications to enlighten and unite the jazz education community. The JEN Board and I encourage you to support each of these magazines and other forums in print, radio and online as they bring to you the latest in JEN events. Stay tuned for details online soon related to YOUR member benefit with each magazine. Through networking in this manner, JEN will continue to expand and connect our offerings for YOU as a member.
We are an organization largely run by volunteers. Although we have four dedicated part time contracted staff, we remain a virtual organization managed through the caring and skilled efforts of folks like you who are NOT paid for our services. Want to be more involved? We welcome people to our committees who have specialized skills not limited to jazz performance and jazz education. At this time we are inviting members to become involved who have a background in the areas of fund raising, marketing and membership recruitment. Please contact me at [email protected] if you would like to join our dedicated and hard working family of volunteers.
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE! Please visit JazzEdNet.org/scholarships and nominate students and teachers for our scholarship and awards before the October 15 deadline. We also invite directors to bring your student groups to our JENerations Jazz Festival that runs concurrently with our conference. I brought three of my student groups to participate in this opportunity at our Dallas conference and it was one of the most educational and powerful experiences in my many years of teaching for both me and my students. No audition is required and Festival participants receive an amazing clinic from two world class jazz educators. Space is limited and is on a first come, first serve basis so don’t wait for this once in a lifetime opportunity for your group.
Our upcoming San Diego conference promises to be our best yet. Our theme Outreach: Sharing the Gift of Jazz nicely captures the spirit of our gathering. Our host hotel, the Manchester Grand Hyatt is a stellar facility located in scenic seaport village on the San Diego Bay. With dozens of amazing professional and student groups, clinicians, panels, exhibitors and featuring Herbie Hancock as our keynote speaker this is a gathering you won’t want to miss! Register by October 31st to save $50 at JazzEdNet.org/Registration to register for the conference. Also visit JazzEdNet.org/Housingto book your hotel room. JEN has sold out the host hotels at each of our previous conferences so make your reservation now to be sure you have a place to stay for those late night jams!
Best,
Bob Sinicrope
JEN President
