The Jazz Academy Orchestra “JAO” is a large ensemble where students learn and perform the big band charts of Duke Ellington, Glen Miller and other writers of the big band era and beyond. It is a great evening program for young musicians grades 7th thorough 12th. Classes meet during the school year. There are two semester, Fall ( starts mid-September) and Winter (starts mid-January). Class sessions are bi-weekly on Tuesday at Sligo Middle School in Silver Spring, Maryland under the direction of Paul Carr. The Orchestra performs at various events in the D.C. Metropolitan area.
The Jazz Academy of Music is a non-profit organization, established in 2002, whose mission is to advance and preserve the art of Jazz Music through education. In support of the Academy’s mission, our goals include:
Developing a broader appreciation for Jazz Music in our communities.
Exposing our youth to the disciplines of applied music thereby enhancing their individual creativity, deductive reasoning abilities, and focus.
To redirect the attention of our “at risk” youth from the negative influences in their community by engaging them in the study of Jazz music.
The Academy is unique because established professional performing musicians in the community, in partnership with the educators in our schools and colleges will teach the students. Paramount to the success of the program is that the Academy provides various outlets for the students to perform. The performances reinforce the need to establish and achieve goals. A discipline that is crucial to success in life.
