Jazz Philadelphia, an organization devoted to advocating for and advancing the city’s local jazz scene, will hold its second annual Jazz Summit on October 11 and 12.
The summit will gather musicians, enthusiasts, advocates, and funders for a series of workshops, discussions, panels, and networking events related to jazz as an art and as a business. Sessions will be held each day from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and at University of the Arts.
The summit will kick off with keynote remarks by trumpeter Terell Stafford and will continue with Odean Pope and others discussing the history and the future of jazz. The summit will close with a celebration of the Philadelphia icon Grover Washington, Jr.
“We’re growing the Jazz Philadelphia Summit each year to include more programs for youth, more regional and national presenters, and more music, which is what it’s all about,” Gerald Veasley, president of Jazz Philadelphia, says in a press release announcing the summit. “We want to celebrate our history, our current talent, and the up-and-coming kids who are going to be our next Philadelphia greats.”
Registration is free and open to all. For more information, visit JazzPhiladelphia.org. A full schedule is below.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11
MORNING SESSIONS
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
300 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19102
8:30 a.m. Doors open, registration and networking breakfast
9:00 Doors open to Perelman Theater
9:30 Opening remarks
10:00 (Perelman Theater)
Opening keynote: Terell Stafford on “The 21st Century Jazz Musician”
What does it take to be a successful jazz musician today? What new ways must musicians think about their careers and pathways? Celebrated trumpet player, educator, and advocate Terell Stafford will offer thoughts on navigating the new landscape of jazz.
11:00 (Perelman Theater)
Successful Audience Development
Even with small budgets, or with no budgets, presenters and artists can use proven strategies to keep their core audience while expanding their reach. Learn from case studies at Philadelphia arts organizations what you can do to cultivate new supporters of your programming.
11:00 (Room TBA)
Foundations for a Sustainable Career
Contemporary musicians must often play many roles. Beyond being composers, players, and performers, they wear many other hats: booking agent, social media expert, merchandise specialist, and promoter. But it doesn’t stop there: in order to make a sustainable living, many artists also serve as educators, administrators, and advocates. This panel will offer guidance for artists on how to build a sustainable career.
12:15 p.m. Program ends at Kimmel Center
AFTERNOON SESSIONS
University of the Arts, Terra Building
Caplan Recital Hall, 16th & 17th Flrs.
211 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19102
1:00 – 1:30 p.m. (17th-floor lobby)
Additional registration period
1:00 Doors open
1:45 (Caplan Recital Hall)
Performance – University of the Arts Transfusion Ensemble
Randy Kapralick, Director
2:30 (Caplan Recital Hall)
Living Legends: Up Close and Personal
Join Odean Pope and other living legends in conversation with one another about the history and the future of jazz.
3:30 Closing remarks
3:45 Program ends at University of the Arts
EVENING MUSIC
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
300 S. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19102
10:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. All-Star Jazz Jam in the indoor plaza
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12
Terra Building, Caplan Recital Hall, 16th & 17th Flrs.
211 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19102
10:00 a.m. (17th-floor lobby) Check-in, doors open
10:30 (Caplan Recital Hall)
Welcome, Performance by the Trumpet Chicks & Opening Session: “Equity and Justice in Jazz Education”
12:00 p.m. (Caplan Recital Hall)
Kids and Parents: Developing Strategies for Success with Music
Kids and parents are a team when it comes to developing successful musicians. Hear strategies for navigating the education and performance landscape, as well as insight into how parents and kids can work together toward common goals.
12:00 (Room TBD)
Funding: A Two-Way Street
Foundations and nonprofits design programs based on their strategic priorities, informed by desired outcomes and theories of change. But what happens when those ideals meet reality? Leaders from the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation and others will discuss their programs for artists, but also solicit feedback from the community of artists and presenters that they’d like to serve.
1:00 – 2:00 Lunch (on your own)
2:30 (Caplan Recital Hall)
Youth Jazz Jam
2:30 (Room TBD)
Marketing Madness: Reaching and Engaging Your Audience
Understanding both traditional and new media is critical for artists. What platforms are best for which projects? How should you think about approaching P.R.? What’s earned media? What are the best tactics for audience engagement with current fans? How much does an artist need to be available to their fan base, and how much should they share?
3:30 (Caplan Recital Hall)
Educator’s Roundtable
Join educators from the Philadelphia region and beyond as they discuss some of the challenges and opportunities within jazz education programs. Should performance majors be thinking about also becoming educators early in their undergraduate studies? If you want to shift gears and use teaching as supplemental income, what does it take to get in the door of an education program?
3:30 (Room TBD)
One-on-One with the Pros
Sign up to get individualized advice from a team of experts.
CLOSING SESSION
Grover at 75: A Celebration of His Life and Music
This final session of the Jazz Philadelphia Summit will honor and celebrate Grover Washington, Jr., who would have turned 75 this year. Hear stories about how he impacted the jazz landscape and the many players and audiences that he touched in his career.
