Monterey Jazz Festival And California Jazz Conservatory Launch Long-Term Collaborative Program

The legendary, iconic jazz presenter, the Monterey Jazz Festival (MJF), has joined forces with the innovative, pioneering jazz education leader, the California Jazz Conservatory (CJC), to form a new, long-term collaboration: The MJF-CJC Partnership for Excellence in Jazz Performance and Education. The program was designed to share each organization's strengths in pursuing their mutual mission to support and promote jazz performance and education.

"I could not be more excited about our new partnership with the world-renowned Monterey Jazz Festival. Given our shared mission to forward both jazz performance and education along with our long-standing close personal friendship, this mutually beneficial collaboration is a natural fit," noted CJC President Susan Muscarella.

MJF Jazz Education Director Paul Contos added, "We all share the same vision, the same demand for top quality, the same drive for excellence--and we all like each other! It was an easy decision to combine our expertise and take this great leap forward for jazz presentation and jazz education."

The newly designated affiliation is a continuation of the successful three-year relationship between the two internationally recognized, California-based jazz institutions, enhancing an existing partnership established in 2017 between CJC and MJF at the MJF-produced Next Generation Jazz Festival.

In addition to sharing faculty, programs, marketing and facilities on a long-term basis, specific proposals for the 2019-2020 timeframe include CJC's development and presentation of a new, nationwide college-level composition competition with the winning work slated to be premiered and presented live at the 50th Next Generation Jazz Festival (April 3-5, 2020).

As a part of the partnership program, performance opportunities will abound year-round for both organizations. CJC student and faculty groups have been invited to play on the North Coast Brewing Co. Jazz Education Stage during the upcoming Monterey Jazz Festival (September 27-29, 2019), and in future Monterey and Next Generation Jazz Festivals. The Partnership for Excellence also includes multiple opportunities for CJC and MJF faculty to participate in one another's presentations and programs.

MJF Executive Director Colleen Bailey concluded, "This is a timely opportunity for us to join forces with the California Jazz Conservatory. We view this Partnership for Excellence in Jazz Performance and Education as a long-term commitment to collaborate, to the benefit of our students and fans. It makes strategic sense for both entities, and that makes sense for the future of jazz."