Savannah Music Festival (SMF), a leading nonprofit performing arts organization, is currently accepting applications for the 2021-2022 SMF Jazz Academy, a tuition-free, year-long program for Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) students in grades five through 12. SMF Jazz Academy is Savannah’s only free after-school jazz program designed to empower students by instilling life-long skills of academic, social and musical achievement. The open enrollment period will run through August 22, 2021.

The SMF Jazz Academy program is designed for students at all music levels. Since SCCPSS is hosting in-person classes for the 2021-2022 school year, SMF Jazz Academy will offer in-person instruction as well.

“We want to expose as many students as possible to creative expression through jazz,” said SMF Jazz Academy Manager Jessica Messere. “We’re thrilled to offer in-person rehearsals again this year and invite students with an interest in music to sign up as soon as possible.”

All students participating in the program will have at least one rehearsal a week as well as one private lesson on their instrument. SMF Jazz Academy students will also perform at the end of each semester, participate in monthly jam sessions and work with local jazz musicians in master classes. 

SMF Jazz Academy is currently accepting beginning, intermediate and advanced students in grades five through 12. Interested families and students are encouraged to sign up for a short, in-person placement interview, which will take place August 23-25. Previous musical experience is not required, and free instrument rentals are available, if needed.  

Established in Spring 2020 as a pilot program at the School of Humanities at Juliette Gordon Low Elementary in Savannah, Ga., SMF Jazz Academy expanded to a year-long program for the 2020-2021 school year and successfully transitioned to a virtual format during the COVID-19 pandemic. The mission of SMF Jazz Academy is to serve under-resourced communities as an assets-based program, promoting social justice in the form of high-quality jazz education and mentoring of its students. 

Thanks to the generosity of founding sponsors Ron and Susan Whitaker, the SMF Jazz Academy program is free to all participating students. Investment in SMF Jazz Academy comes from the City of Savannah. The program is sponsored by the Charles A. Frueauff Foundation, Chestnut Family Foundation, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, and May Wall and Walter Lynch. SMF Jazz Academy is sponsored in part by the Walter G. Canipe Foundation, Kole Management Company, Robert M. and Diane S. Levy, Vicki & Jerry McElreath, and Anne P. West. 

Enrollment applications are currently being accepted to the SMF Jazz Academy. To apply, visit www.savannahmusicfestival.org/jazzacademy.

Questions? Contact Jessica Messere at [email protected] or 912.234.3378 x102.