The Beaches Jazz Festival Youth Initiatives partnered with the Humber College Community School this year to create the Jazz in the City Program (youthjazz.ca).  This pre-professional training program for teenaged musicians gave over 40 of the best and brightest GTA youth musicians the opportunity to study and perform with Canada’s elite jazz musician/educators.  Directed by Kirk MacDonald, the faculty included: Lorne Lofsky, Frank Falco, Kelly Jefferson, Kieran Overs, Brian O’Kane, Barry Romberg and Dave Neill.  The program also formed two Jazz Performance Combos, Combo A and Combo B who toured and performed across the GTA at festivals and Jazz Venues.  The Honour Combos were featured at the Toronto Jazz Festival, Beaches Jazz Festival and Markham Jazz Festival and had gigs at The Rex, the Trane Studio and the Dominion on Queen.  These young people showcased their incredible talent and will definitely be the future of Canadian Jazz.

As September approaches we’d like to remind all the music educators out there that the Youth Initiatives Program can offer you help and support in bringing jazz workshops and clinics to your school.  For more information see the Letter to Educators and contact Julie Christian (youthprograms@beachesjazz.com).

The Student Friendly Jazz Jam continues at the Dominion on Queen (500 Queen St. East) on the 1st and 3rd Sunday from 4-7pm.  Hosted by pianist Robert Scott.  Hope to see you there!

This year’s Beaches International Jazz Festival was a huge success.  The weather cooperated and we presented some of the best musicians around!  The Youth Initiatives had a big impact on the Festival once again, with the Youth and New Generation Stages at Woodbine Park, nine free Jazz Workshops, and a terrific contingent of Youth at Streetfest and even the Kew Gardens Main Stage.  Thanks to all the fantastic youth volunteers who helped make having the festival possible.

The Youth Stage featured over 75 high school aged jazz musicians, the New Generation Stage showcased some of Ontario’s best and brightest up and coming professional musicians, while the Youth representatives at Streetfest held their own, attracted huge audiences, sold tons of CDs and were part of the showcase of the wonderful talent that we have in the GTA!  Watch the Media Gallery for lots of new pictures of all the action.

We are please to announce the schedule for the 22nd annual Beaches Jazz Festival Workshop series.  We are holding nine free workshops this year, open to all-ages, abilities and interests . Topics range from Jazz Arranging, Guitar, Singing, a family friendly Ukulele playing workshop, a new workshop on Stage Presence and Dance and Photography.  We have chosen a variety of topics with some of the best artists / clinicians available.  For more information and to register go to the Workshops section of this website.

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TORONTO, April 22, 2010 – The Community Music School, Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, in partnership with the Beaches Jazz Festival Youth Initiatives Program, is pleased to announce Youth Jazz in the City, an exciting two-pronged project designed to bring new and unique opportunities in small group jazz education and performance to a broad range of GTA youth.

Through this project, high school music students in the GTA will be able to work with peers and professionals in the week-long Summer Jazz Workshop for Youth, while exceptional students will also be able to further their skills through the intensive training and performance opportunities offered in the Youth Jazz Honour Combo program.

In the Youth Jazz Honour Combo program, 10-14 talented high school age students will be selected to form two combos.  The students will further their musical and artistic development through an intensive training, mentoring, performance (at GTA jazz festivals) and recording experience.  In preparation for the 2010 festival season, they’ll work with an elite group of Canadian jazz musicians, and will also record in Humber’s state-of-the-art recording studio.

In the Summer Jazz Workshop for Youth, running July 12-18th, some 30 to 40 students aged 14 to 18 years, will attend daily classes and rehearsals that include combo performance classes, improv clinics, instrumental master classes, aural and theoretical training, jazz history and professional concerts.  They’ll have the opportunity to perform and record with other students and professionals, and they’ll receive a demo copy of their studio session. The combos will also be featured on the youth stage at the Beaches International Jazz Festival.

For more information and audition deadlines, please visit www.youthjazz.ca

Student Friendly All-Ages Jazz Jam

The Student-Friendly, all-ages Jams continue in March at the Dominion on Queen (500 Queen St. East), each 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month from 4-7 pm. Hosted by pianist Robert Scott.

Youth Initiatives Programs

The Youth Initiatives Programs has been busy in the schools in February and March. Workshop/clinics have been held at 4 area high schools and included participation by over 650 students. Clinicians included Joaquin Nunez Hidalgo (Latin Percussion), Colleen Allen, the University of Toronto Outreach Combo with Chase Sanborn and the University of Toronto 10 o'clock Jazz Orchestra lead by Terry Promane.

All-Ages Student Friendly Jazz Jam

The all-ages, student friendly Jazz Jam continues in February. Held the 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month at the Dominion on Queen (500 Queen St. East) from 4-7pm. The jam is hosted by pianist Robert Scott.

Youth Initiatives and our Schools

For information about how the Beaches Jazz Festival Youth Initiatives can work with your school click here .

All-Ages Student Friendly Jazz Jam

The Beaches Jazz Festival Youth Initiatives Sponsored an Outreach workshop for Malvern C.I. in January. The very talented outreach combo from the University of Toronto Jazz Studies program, lead by Chase Sanborn did a great job working with the Malvern music students. If you would like to have a workshop or clinic at your school contact Julie Christian at youthprograms@beachesjazz.com.

Student Friendly Jazz Jam time changes to 4:00 to 7:00 pm in Oct. and Nov.

The Youth Initiatives Next Generation Jazz Jam hosted by pianist Robert Scott continues in October and November (the first and third Sunday of every month) at the Dominion on Queen, 500 Queen St. East, NOW AT A NEW TIME from 4-7 pm.

Beaches Jazz Festival Youth Initiatives Program Enters Second Year

We are very excited to be beginning our second year of sponsoring clinics, workshops and jazz jams for youth in the Toronto area. If you are a music educator or would like to enhance jazz studies at your local school, Contact Us to get involved. To read how the Beaches Jazz Festival Youth Initiatives Program can help, click the link to read our letter to music educators for more information.

Jazz Jam Continues

The Youth Initiatives Next Generation Jazz Jam continues at the Dominion on Queen, 500 Queen St. East, from 3-6 pm. (this student-friendly, all-ages Jam is hosted by pianist Robert Scott the first and third Sunday of every month)

2009 Beaches International Jazz Festival - SUCCESS!

The 2009 Beaches International Jazz Festival was a great success. We are so proud to have showcased so many Youth performers and up and coming New Generation artists at Woodbine Park, Streetfest and Kew Gardens. We held 10 free workshops during the festival on a great variety of jazz music topics that were well attended. Check out the media gallery to see some great photos. We'd like to thank all the performers, volunteers, our sponsors, the public who attended and the Ontario Trillium Foundation for helping us showcase these great young artists.

FREE TD Canada Trust Workshops

It's the return of our popular Workshop & Lecture Series held July 20-25 during the 10-day Festival period. Intended to complement, diversify and broaden your "jazz experience" with the Festival. Free and interactive.

Student Volunteers

Volunteers are needed to hand out programs and do surveys. If you can spare a few hours please email youthprograms@beachesjazz.com. High School students can apply this to their volunteer hours for school.