Savannah Music Festival Education

Trailblazer Workshop and Jam Session with Naledi Masilo and the Jazz Academy at Front Porch Improv last Friday was a swinging time! Thank you to all who came out to play, listen, and learn, and a big thank you to our venue host Front Porch Improv!

Come meet one of SMF’s Resident Artists Naledi Masilo and learn from her while getting to jam with SMF Jazz Academy at the always fun Front Porch Improv! Bring an Instrument! Parking is Limited so please park on Barnard St. Friday, Jan. 19th from 4 pm-6 pm.

The Community Family Jam hosted by SMF Jazz Academy was a Success! All our students gave it their all on stage, our invited guest performances Windsor Forest High School Marching Band, Savannah Arts Skylite Jazz Band and DEEP Slam Poetry, really brought their A-Game and gave amazing performances! All photography credit is to

SMF Jazz Academy is made possible by its founding sponsors, Ron & Susan Whitaker, with investment by the and our generous supporters.

This program is supported in part by Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Council for the Arts also receives support from its partner agency the National Endowment for the Arts.

This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how NEA grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.org

Did you see our New York Ensemble at the Phil the Park event last Saturday? Our SMF Jazz Academy students knocked it out of the Park for over 20,000 people! Thank you Savannah Philharmonic! Savannah Philharmonic Savannah Music Festival

Last week our Instrument Day for our 5th graders at Juliette Low and Shuman Elementary went off with a lots of excitement!

Our first SMFJA performance is just around the corner, {insert title of October 21st event, day, time, and location.

SMF Jazz Academy is made possible by its founding sponsors, Ron & Susan Whitaker, with investment by the and our generous supporters.

This program is supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Council for the Arts also receives support from its partner agency the National Endowment for the Arts.

This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how NEA grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.

Meet our Wonderful Saxophone Instructor, Dr. Jordan Van Hemert!

VanHemert regularly works with music organizations to promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. He also serves as a co-chair on the Columbus State University College of the Arts Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee and the North American Saxophone Alliance Committee on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Accessibility. He holds degrees from Central Michigan University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. VanHemert is a Vandoren Artist-Clinician, Selmer Paris Saxophones Performing Artist, and Key Leaves endorsing artist. He performs exclusively on Vandoren reeds and mouthpieces and Selmer Paris saxophones, and he uses Key Leaves products on all of his saxophones. You can learn more about Jordan at his website, jordanvanhemert.com.

SMF Jazz Academy does the Jazz Festival. Learning and watching the wonderful documentary on Miles Davis: The Birth of Cool. Students got to ask questions and hear from family members of Miles Davis. All in all 10/10!

Do you have a small business/service that you offer?

Advertise your business with a booth or bring your food truck to our Savannah Music Festival Community Family Jam! Presented by SMF Jazz Academy! If you are the parent/guardian of a Jazz Academy Student-we will waive the vendor fee for this event!

Copy and Paste the link to Sign Up!

If you have questions please reach out to SMFJA staff.
Aubrie Racies
386-601-4571 [email protected]
Jenny Woodruff
(404) 421-2229 [email protected]

Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSepYYcs8ZEzhSgMyDkuR5xkhO-LajCwZohD9Blxn2L4MsCtsw/https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSepYYcs8ZEzhSgMyDkuR5xkhO-LajCwZohD9Blxn2L4MsCtsw/viewformhttps://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSepYYcs8ZEzhSgMyDkuR5xkhO-LajCwZohD9Blxn2L4MsCtsw/viewform

SMF Jazz Academy is made possible by its founding sponsors, Ron & Susan Whitaker, with investment by the and our generous supporters.

This program is supported in part by Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Council for the Arts also receives support from its partner agency the National Endowment for the Arts.

This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how NEA grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.

Welcome Back to School Chatham County! Jazz Academy Interviews start next week, and rehearsals start Sept.5th! The SMFJA team cant wait!

Photos of SMF Jazz Academy student Jaden Cooper representing SMFJA at the Pooler Juneteenth Celebration last month! We are so proud of you Jaden!

During our masterclass tonight, our awesome trailblazers will be leading a discussion with SMF artist, Alexa Tarantino.

The trailblazers team has prepared wonderful questions for Alexa including topics such as: jazz and gender justice, bandleading, practice techniques, musician lifestyle, and music in the age of social media.

Be tuned to see highlights from this masterclass! So many wonderful opportunities for our students!

We are excited to have SMF artist, Alexa Tarantino teach a masterclass to our SMFJA students!

Alexa Tarantino is an award-winning jazz saxophonist, woodwind doubler, composer, and educator. Tarantino has played along side many prestigious ensembles such as the Wynton Marsalis Septet, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Cecile McLorin Salvant Quintet and OGRESSE ensembles, Ulysses Owens, Jr.’s Generation Y and Big Band, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchstrea, and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra.

Tarantino is currently on faculty for the Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Youth Education Programs and directs one of their High School Jazz Academy big bands. She has also has a large role in the JALC’s Jazz for Young People Program, which brings music to New York City schools. Tarantino often visits several colleges, high schools, and summer jazz programs across the globe as a guest clinician, including the Rockport Jazz Workshop, which she is Founder and Director. She is also Co-Founder of A Steo Ahead Jazz with pianist Steven Feifke. Tarantino is a Vandoren Artist and Yamaha Performing Artist.

Thank you Alexa Tarantino for dedicating your time to teach a meaningful and brilliant masterclass to our students!

Mark Your Calendars!

SMFJA SPRING FAMILY JAM
SATURDAY, MARCH 11th
12pm-2pm
The Salvation Army Community Center
3000 Bee Road
Savannah Georgia 31404

Join us for our spring family jam featuring performances by all SMFJA student combos and special guests, Caili O’Doherty (SMFJA Piano Artist Instructor) , Gina Benalcázar (SMFJA Trombone Artist Instructor), and Anna Abondolo (SMFJA Bass Instructor).

Food trucks! Fun for the whole family! Free and Open to the Public!

We hope to see you there!

SMF Jazz Academy is made possible by its founding sponsors, Ron & Susan Whitaker, with investment by the and our generous supporters.

This program is supported in part by Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Council for the Arts also receives support from its partner agency the National Endowment for the Arts.

This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how NEA grants impact individuals and communities, visit www.arts.gov.

This Savannah Music Festival season, local CCPSS students can now attend all general admission shows free of charge thanks to the Musical Explorer pass provided by our education department! What music will you and your your explorer discover this spring? 🎺 🗺️ 🔎

Join us tomorrow December 10th at 11:30 am for the FREE Musical Explorers Family Jam! The event includes performances by Huxsie Scott Vocalist , The Foreign Landers, & Timothy Miller, Tenor, hosted by Laiken Love featuring DjPrecisa Entertainment dance party! Drop by to explore the genres of African American spirituals, bluegrass, and opera. 🎉🎶

This year's Savannah Music Festival Musical Explorers week has been a blast! Musical Explorers will have the opportunity to see The Foreign Landers live in concert! You too can see them perform at SMF 2023 by visiting SavannahMusicFestival.org to book your tickets today! 🎻 🎟️

Today is day 3 of Musical Explorers week at Savannah Music Festival! Thousands of Chatham county students will get to see a live concert by three amazing artist this week including opera singer Timothy Miller, Tenor pictured here! 👑🎶

Each school day this week, Savannah Music Festival's Musical Explorers students will take a field trip to see performances by amazing artists, including local favorite Huxsie Scott 🎙️ 🎶

Today begins Savannah Music Festival's Fall edition of Musical Explorers! Each day this week, elementary students from across Chatham county will see Huxsie Scott Vocalist, The Foreign Landers & Timothy Miller, Tenor perform African American spirituals, bluegrass, and opera that they've been learning about all year! 🚌 🎶

We have so much to be thankful for here at SMF Jazz Academy!

We are super thankful for all our amazing sponsors supports, including our founding sponsors, Ron & Susan Whitaker( pictured in slide 6)

And we so thankful for our students and their families and the greater Savannah Community for without them our program would not be possible!

And we’re thankful for all of you, our followers, who support us by staying engaged with us here on IG!

We hope you all have a wonderful and happy thanksgiving and holiday season!

Stay tuned for more information on our upcoming Fall Concert coming soon!

SMF Jazz Academy is made possible by its founding sponsors, Ron & Susan Whitaker, with investment by the and our generous supporters.

This program is supported in part by Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Council for the Arts also receives support from its partner agency the National Endowment for the Arts.

This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Please give our newest addition to the SMF team a warm welcome! Mary Margaret Cozart, Development Associate, is a new University of Georgia grad who is eager to put her Music Business education to work. Not only does she have a talent for singing and songwriting, but she also enjoys volunteering to sustain the oyster population with Shell to Shore. Glad to have you with us, Mary Margaret!

Are you subscribed to our newsletter? 📝 Stay up to date on volunteer opportunities, upcoming events, SMF in the news and more! Don't miss a beat, sign up here: https://bit.ly/3bjLdKY

American Indian Citizenship Day is here! 🎉 The Indian Citizenship Act, passed by Congress in 1924, granted Native Americans the right to vote, hold office, and own property. As you may know, Savannah Music Festival takes place on the homelands of the Yemassee and Mvscogee, who are the original caretakers of the land.
We are grateful for our ability to showcase music from across cultures, like Martha Redbone's performance of Southeastern Woodlands Native American song and dance at this spring's Musical Explorers program. 🎒
Learn more about this day in history here: https://bit.ly/3m6D16K and watch Martha's 2021 Tiny Desk performance here: https://bit.ly/3GGLJ5a

Savannah Music Festival is a not-for-profit organization - that makes us an entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit. We strive to bring music education to Savannah schools and world-class entertainment to those who frequent our annual festival. Although ticket sales make up a large portion of our revenue, we very much rely on the generosity of our donors and sponsors! Whether you're an individual willing to give an occasional gift or a corporation looking to support a local organization, we'd love to hear from you! https://bit.ly/3ltKWt3

An Atlanta native, Gladys Knight is one of the most prolific recording artists of the 20th century. As a seven-time Grammy winner, she has recorded #1 hits in pop, gospel, R&B, and adult contemporary, earning her the nickname, “The Empress of Soul.” 🎉 Happy birthday, Gladys!

⚡ We're looking to add two new folks to our year-round SMF crew! Do you or someone you know have a musical background and a passion for education? The role of Education Manager (Musical Explorers Program) or SMF Jazz Academy Music Director might be a great fit! Swipe for more details and visit our website for full description: https://bit.ly/3Bjv3Ou

Call for volunteers! 📣 Are you looking for opportunities to expand your skillset, build community, and have fun? We are always recruiting dedicated people to join our like-minded volunteer base. Although our annual spring festival is where we need the most help, we also need support at year-round events such as Musical Explorers and SMF Jazz Academy. Don't delay, sign up now! https://bit.ly/37IHWqI

Volunteer - Savannah Music Festival Volunteer All year long, the Savannah Music Festival engages more than 300 supporters throughout our community to assist as volunteers. These committed individuals perform a variety of helpful tasks, including brochure/poster distribution, artist/patron hospitality, and ushering during the festival,...

It's National Buy a Musical Instrument Day! 📯 What goes into purchasing a musical instrument of your very own? A LOT of time and research. Most of us can agree that investing in music is money well spent, but do you have any tips on getting the best gear for a good deal? What's your favorite music shop where you live? Let us know in the comments!

It's World Fiddle Day! 🎻 There was no shortage of excellent instrumentation happening at , but we're looking fondly back on a few particular fiddle moments. The Revelers, Foghorn Stringband, and Kittel & Co. were some of our favorites - which were yours?