Many promising, young New Orleans jazz students will perform Friday at Isidore Newman School in a free concert organized by New Jazz School, Donald Harrison‘s high school jazz education program held on the Newman campus. The show takes place at 7 p.m. Friday, June 15 in the school’s Henson Auditorium.

Donald Harrison, Jr. Photo by Kiel Scott.

The intensive two-week program, open to public and private high school students in New Orleans, is taught by Harrison and a faculty of local musicians, including Christian Scott, David Pulphus, Jesse McBride, Detroit Brooks, Joe Dyson, Conun Pappas, Max Moran, and Tyler Ginsberg. 52 students from nineteen schools will finish the workshop with the concert, which features five different small ensembles and a big band.

“The students are good,” says Harrison. “They really get it. We’re really happy with the program this year. We tried to get them to understand how to put things together. They learned jazz cadences and what to play over them. Between this program and T.I.P.s [the Tipitina’s internship program] we’re making an impact.”

New Jazz School covers traditional jazz, swing, bebop, modal jazz, jazz rock, and hip-hop. There are classes in harmony, technique, reading, ear training, listening, and ensemble. Students learn what it takes to succeed on a professional level and are shown a career path as musicians in the music industry.

“If you come to this concert,” promises Harrison, “you’ll see the New Orleans jazz stars of the future.”