Jazz Empowers Cohort Supports Over 100 Band Directors During Pandemic

Nashville, TN - (October 30th, 2020) – As the COVID-19 pandemic continues into the winter, music educators at K-12 schools are overwhelmed trying to keep their music programs running with the demands of fully remote, hybrid, and/or outdoor teaching.   

Jazz Empowers, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to starting and growing jazz programs in underserved schools, saw the stress band directors were under and started brainstorming ways to support these dedicated educators.

Their solution – launching their Jazz Band Director Cohort.  The goal of the cohort is to be an inclusive and welcoming community that supports jazz band directors as they teach their students and build their schools’ jazz programs.  As part of the cohort Jazz Empowers will provide monthly online professional development, one on one coaching sessions, access to curriculum materials, and support editing virtual performances – all at no cost for the band directors or schools.

“We know band directors are already overwhelmed”, says Jazz Empowers Founder and Executive Director Andrew Johnston, “so we wanted to develop a cohort that would provide fast, engaging, and practical support as these educators fight to keep jazz alive in their schools during these extremely challenging circumstances.”

The cohort serves over 100 band directors that teach over 2300 jazz students. 

“We want the cohort to not only help band directors keep their jazz programs going through the pandemic, but also to provide them with the training and knowledge to build sustainable, long-term jazz programs that have a transformative impact on their students’ lives.”

While registration for the 2020-2021 cohort is closed, you can email info@jazzempowers.org if you are interested in joining the cohort.