Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz

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The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz^[1] is a non-profit music education-oriented organization co-founded in 1986 by the family of the late American jazz musician Thelonious Monk, opera singer Maria Fisher and Thomas R. Carter, its current president.

The Institute has held its International Jazz Competition since 1987 and organized jazz education programs in public schools throughout the United States and around the world, produced jazz events during the 1993 and 1997 Inaugural celebrations.

[edit] College Program

One of the Institute's earliest goals was to create a unique college-level jazz program where the masters of jazz could pass on their expertise to the next generation of jazz musicians the way Thelonious Monk had done in his Manhattan apartment throughout the '50s and '60s. In September 1995, the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance was launched and the first class of seven students began their intensive training with some of the world's greatest musicians.

The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance is a tuition-free two-year program that accepts one ensemble of musicians for each class. Internationally acclaimed trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard serves as Artistic Director. All of the students receive full scholarships, as well as stipends to cover their monthly living expenses. The students study both individually and as a small group, receiving personal mentoring, ensemble coaching, and lectures on the jazz tradition. They are also encouraged to experiment in expanding jazz in new directions through their compositions and performances.

The current class of 2009 is an eclectic group of amazing musicians. Members^[2][3] include trumpeter Gordon Au (Carmichael, California); bassist Joseph Johnson (Kansas City, Missouri); vocalist Johnaye Kendrick (San Diego, California); guitarist Davy Mooney (New Orleans, Louisiana); pianist Vadim Neselovskyi (Odessa, Ukraine); saxophonist Jake Saslow (Long Island, New York); and drummer Colin Stranahan (Denver, Colorado).

[edit] Thomas R. Carter

Carter has served as producer of the "Jazz at The White House" gala concert which was taped for a PBS television special. In 1995, he also sponsored the creation of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance, now at at Loyola University New Orleans^[4]. He also initiated and served as executive producer of "A Celebration of America's Music," a one-hour ABC television special that was broadcast in 1996 and became the first jazz television special to air on network television in more than 25 years. In 1997, Carter served as executive producer for the 2nd annual television special, also broadcast on ABC. Carter has also served at the White House Conference for Culture and Diplomacy.^[5]

[edit] References

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