Music Education 100 Children of Dominican Republic

Dear Supporters,

From September to November, Fedujazz focused on organizing the Dominican Republic Jazz Festival 2019 and arrange different workshops. This event generated many free educational and cultural exchange opportunities for our students and more than four hundred students of Santiago, Puerto Plata, Sosua, and Cabarete who were very favored and excited about this experience. Our students had the visit of several of the most world acclaimed jazz artists, and they had presence in two concerts within the framework of the 23rd Dominican Republic Jazz Festival.

FEDUJAZZ AND THE DRJF IMPACT

WORKSHOP AND CONCERT AT CENTRO LEON, SANTIAGO.

September was a month with new initiatives. We created two ensembles to give new experiences and knowledge to our students and have a musical group representing the foundation. One of the bands had their first participation on October 25th, in the first DRJF concert, at the Centro León in Santiago de los Caballeros.

This experience was unique for our students, as they had the opportunity to open the Festival's inaugural concert and play for more than three thousand people from different parts of the Dominican Republic. In this concert, our students succeed with their music, showing the mission of the foundation to the audience, who received it very warmly. Furthermore, on the morning of this day, the group was able to participate in a master class with the renowned international artist Arturo O'Farrill, who was splendid and showed great interest in our students.

MUSTARD SEEDS AND THE BERKLEE GLOBAL JAZZ INSTITUTE AT FEDUJAZZ.

The second significant event in Fedujazz was the visiting of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute at the end of October. This institution is probably one of the most prestigious music programs in the world. Two teachers and six students of the BGJI visited the foundation and taught for two days. They showed and shared a lot of knowledge in topics such as composition, improvisation, piano, trumpet, sax, guitar, bass, and drums. Our students had a very enriching experience, where they share and play with the visiting artist. Moreover, as part of the foundation outreach program, some teachers of FEDUJAZZ and the BGJI artists went to the Mustard Seeds Community in Sosua, where the foundation performed for kids with disabilities, giving them a high-quality music experience. At the end of the day our students enjoyed of a beautiful concert at Playa Alicia, Sosua with the BGJI, Nando Michellin, and The Dominican Jazz Project.

WORKSHOP AND CONCERT AT PLAYA ALICIA AND PLAYA CABARETE

FEDUJAZZ started November with one workshop by The Dominican Jazz Project and Justin Kauflin, who were in charge of giving a great concert that night in Sosua. Our students had the opportunity to learn and share as well. On November the 2nd, some of our students participated in antoher workshop leading by The Berklee Global Jazz Institute and Justin Kauflin Trio. After this activity, the second ensemble of FEDUJAZZ played in a concert in the main stage of the Festival in Playa Cabarete. Then, Miguel Zenón, one of the most worldwide important Jazz artistis gave a clinic at FEDUJAZZ for our students, and some students of the Conservatorio de Musica de Republica Dominicana and the UNPHU. At the end of this day, three more concerts were celebrated at Playa Cabarete, where Miguel Zenon, The Berklee Global Jazz Ambassadors and Josean Jacobo did a wonderful performance. 

2ND WORKSHOP AND CONCERT IN PLAYA CABARETE

On the morning of November the 3rd, FEDUJAZZ was hosting the last workshop for our students in the foundation. This workshop was lead by Jane Bunnett and Maqueque. Here our students had the experience of playing and learning with them about Latin music. With a concert of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, Maqueque and Jose Alberto el Canario FEDUJAZZ finished with success the 2019 edition of the Dominican Republic Jazz Festival. This cultural event was mean to give a high-quality free music education and concerts for our students and the communities of Santiago, Puerto Plata, Sosua, and Cabarete

¡THANK YOU! 

We at FEDUJAZZ feel very grateful to our supporters, who help us to make our foundation’s mission a reality. Your generosity allows us to continue offering free classes and concerts, donate and repair instruments for our students, and maintain our campus in Cabarete. Our foundation is open six days a week for a year-round, and thanks to your support, we can create a positive educational environment for our students.

We invite you to keep donating to this project and through our work and music, help us to teach tools to prepare our students to enjoy and face future life challenges with a positive spirit, heart, and mind.