News
Announcement: Heritage School of Music France Cultural Exchange
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW ORLEANS (November 26, 2024) — New Orleans, LA — The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation is thrilled to announce its collaboration with Aprèm Jazz to launch a cultural exchange program, highlighting the talented students of the Don “Moose” Heritage School of Music (HSM). This partnership will provide an unforgettable opportunity for these young musicians to perform at esteemed festivals throughout Brittany, France, strengthening cultural ties between Louisiana and France.
After a hiatus from international travel, eight outstanding HSM students will embark on a two-week cultural journey in July 2025. Their adventure begins with a performance at the renowned Cornouaille Festival in Quimper and followed by a performance at Jazz Fest in Châteauneuf from July 23-27, 2025. Their talents will also be showcased at Les Jeudis du Parc in Pleuven and Jazz’Y Krampouezh in Concarneau from July 16-20, 2025. The trip will pave the way for French musicians to visit New Orleans and its surrounding cities for a reciprocal exchange in 2026.
This past summer, Foundation team members Derek Douget, the Heritage School of Music Director; Jonathan Solari, the Director of Development; and Kia Robinson Hatfield, the Director of Programs, Marketing, and Communications, embarked on a preliminary trip to Brittany to prepare for the upcoming student excursion, ensuring an experience that is both enjoyable and educational, while prioritizing safety for young musicians. Their travels across various French cities sparked ideas for new opportunities in educational, programmatic, and cultural exchanges. While abroad, the students will be accompanied by Derek, as well as, a translator and a host of chaperones.
This initiative not only highlights the students’ dedication and musical abilities but also offers a vital platform for meaningful cultural exchanges with French audiences and artists. It continues the Heritage School of Music’s tradition of international engagement, which last occurred in the early 1990s in Mexico. Over two weeks, the students will work collaboratively to produce and perform jazz, exploring how music can positively impact communities locally and globally. The program aims to encourage cultural exchange and to balance creativity, conversation, and social engagement by furthering mutual understanding with their French peers through unexpected musical collaborations.
The Foundation and Aprém Jazz are excited to nurture this cultural bond and offer these young artists an invaluable educational and performance experience. This collaboration between the organizations underscores the power of music to transcend borders and unite cultures, offering students the opportunity of a lifetime to connect with global audiences and learn from diverse musical traditions.
By donating on GivingTuesday, your support will go to our young musicians’ travel and ensure that students from diverse backgrounds have the opportunity to experience the transformative power of cultural and musical exchange. This positive impact extends beyond the students themselves, reaching families, communities, and the world at large. Your generosity can unlock opportunities for students, helping them grow into thoughtful, engaged citizens who appreciate the value of connections from abroad.
About New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation is the nonprofit that owns the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell. The foundation invests the proceeds from Jazz Fest, and other raised funds, for year-round programs in education, economic development, and cultural enrichment. For more on what we do, please visit us online at jazzandheritage.org
About the Don “Moose” Jamison Heritage School of Music
Since 1990, the Don “Moose” Jamison Heritage School of Music, a free afterschool program, which serves nearly 300 students a week, from beginners aged 8 years old to advanced students aged 18 with in-depth music training, ensemble playing and music theory throughout the school year and summer school taught by some of the best musicians in New Orleans . Additionally, the program offers classes in audio and studio recording, and vocal classes. Kids are accepted into the program at the beginning of school semesters. The school’s commitment to nurturing young talent and promoting a deep appreciation for music underscores its valuable contribution to the community.
About Aprèm Jazz
Established in 2001, Aprem’ Jazz is a volunteer association dedicated to promoting jazz in all its forms. The organization focuses on organizing meetings, concerts, exhibitions, publications, and other activities to advance this mission. Aprem’ Jazz embraces all artistic expressions of jazz, approaching them with sensitivity and mindfulness.