George and Joyce Wein, the husband and wife who created the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation, will have the foundation’s new educational and community center named in their honor, it was announced May 3 by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, the nonprofit that owns the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
The George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center is located at 1225 N. Rampart Street, adjacent to the Jazz & Heritage Foundation offices, and was purchased by the foundation in 2008. The foundation will use the space as the first permanent home of its Don “Moose” Jamison Heritage School of Music, a free program that has operated on local university campuses since 1990. It will also serve as a community center.
Construction is set to begin in a few weeks to convert the historic structure into an education facility with seven classrooms (including dedicated labs for drums and piano) and the latest in audio and video recording technology. The rear portion of the building will redesigned as a 200-seat auditorium.
Construction of the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center is expected to be completed in late 2014. Joyce Wein passed away in 2005.
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