The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), the
state’s anchor cultural institution, today announced that its
seventh annual Geri Allen Jazz Camp will be completely virtual this
summer. An initiative to support women in jazz, this world-renowned
program is hailed for helping refine technique, grow
confidence and build community among performers who identify as
female or non-binary.
Winner of Jersey Arts People’s Choice Award for “Favorite
Performing Arts Camp,” the Geri Allen Jazz Camp was founded in 2014
in an effort to carry on the exceptional legacy of its
founding director: the late jazz pianist/composer/educator and
Guggenheim Fellow Geri Allen (longtime Montclair resident), who
dedicated herself to developing the next generation of jazz
artists. The program is now under the direction of Artistic
Director Regina Carter, the
multiple Grammy-nominated jazz violinist and composer.
A recipient of the MacArthur “Genius” Award and a Doris Duke Artist
Award, Carter has been widely hailed for her mastery of her
instrument and her drive to expand its possibilities. According to
Carter, the camp is a safe place for young women and those identifying
as non-binary to learn.”
This summer’s sessions will be an exciting opportunity for students
to have conversations about different aspects of the music business
with esteemed faculty, explore and learn creative tools useful for
composing, arranging, and playing, and gain knowledge to drive
their careers with agency and confidence. This year’s clinicians
include bassist Marion Hayden, pianist/composer Ellen Rowe, drummer Alvester Garnett, saxophonist Bruce Williams, vocalist Carla Cook, vibraphonist/composer Stefon Harris, tap dancer Brinae Ali, harpist/composer Brandee Younger, trumpeter Bria Skonberg, trombonist, Melissa Gardinier, and guitarist/vocalist/composer Camila Meza.
About Arts Education @ NJPAC
NJPAC’s
Arts Education offerings reach more than 60,000 students and
families through live performances, in-school residency programs
and arts training classes. These programs bring the joy of dance,
music, theater, and poetry directly to the classroom. Through
our innovative residencies, Teaching Artists create stimulating
performing arts experiences that engage students’ imaginations and
build self-confidence through positive self-expression. Our
residencies help students learn to work together and develop their
creative independence.
In addition to NJPAC’s innovative In-School Programs, the Arts
Center’s comprehensive Arts Education Department offers an Arts
Training Program that helps students at every level learn their
artistic and technical skills they need to study acting, dance, instrumental
music, vocal music, and musical theater. NJPAC also presents
a SchoolTime Performance Series, which introduces students and
their families to a world of entertainment and culture. NJPAC’s Arts Education programs feature professional artists from a
wide variety of traditions and performances of music, dance,
storytelling, puppetry, and more.
About NJPAC
New Jersey
Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark,
N.J., is America’s most diverse performing arts center, and the
artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey –
where great performances and events enhance and transform lives
every day. NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing
access to all and showcasing the state’s and the world’s best
artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of
its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC
is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts.
NJPAC has attracted nearly 10 million visitors (including over 1.7
million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures
meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents. |