The Don “Moose” Jamison Heritage School of Music is the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation’s signature education program.

Started in 1990 as a free after-school program, the Heritage School of Music faculty began teaching a handful of students on Thursday afternoons on the campus of Southern University at New Orleans. Over the years, the program has grown in various ways, most notably the opening in late 2014 of the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center – a historic building in New Orleans Tremé neighborhood that is the Heritage School of Music’s first-ever permanent home. The fully renovated facility includes 7 state-of-the-art classrooms outfitted for music instruction, a 200-seat auditorium, and a recording studio. This beautiful building has enabled Heritage School of Music to continue expanding and serve larger numbers of students.

With our existing programs, the HSM Beginners Program and the Pro-Audio Workshops, the Heritage School of Music provides free music instruction to over 300 students each week at the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center. 

In addition, the Jazz & Heritage Foundation partners with the New Orleans Recreational Development Commission (NORD-C) to present the Vocal Workshops at affiliate locations. Led by acclaimed singer and music educator Tonya Boyd-Cannon, these workshops expand the reach of the Jazz & Heritage Foundation’s music education initiatives. 

For more information about the Heritage School and HSM Beginners weekly schedule and curriculum, please click here.